Family Ties
by MaggotAngel
Summary: Follow the adventures of The Calaway Clan as they deal with love, loss, and Damian's inhuman appetite.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian and his parlors.**_

**A/N:** This is kind of a spin off from the Bridges series and there will be mention of the characters from that (and the occasional appearence). We'll also be meeting a few new friends along the way...(and please no Michelle McCool bashing. I know a lot of people don't like her but 'Taker is a big boy and obviously knew what he did was wrong, but hey, he's a human being. Even he makes mistakes).

Reviews are appreciated!

**Chapter One**

_**St. Louis, MO**_

**Lizard's Custom Piercing and Tattoos...**

Thomas Allen sighed as he sat behind the front desk, listening to the buzz of the tattoo gun and the whimpering of the young man getting his girlfriends name forever etched into his skin, wishing he was the one doing the work instead of his boss, but after his little mess up the week before, he'd been banned from doing any work on anyone and had been put on permanent desk duty.

Hearing the little bell above the door jingle, he looked up, ready to greet whomever had walked in, but the words died on his tongue when he saw who was standing in the door way.

"Excuse me," he said politely to the couple, smiling. "I'll be right back."

Then, without waiting for them to answer him, he darted away from the counter and past the black bead curtain into the back room where the tattooing stations and piercing room was located.

"Lizard," he said, sliding to a stop next the first spot just inside the door.

"What?" the dark haired young man said, not looking up from the work he was doing.

"We've gotta problem," Thomas replied.

"Have Al deal with it, I'm kinda busy right now."

"It's a problem you've gotta take care of, Lizard."

"If it's the guy you fucked up on last week, you deal with it, Tommy," the older man said, still not looking up.

"If it's important, you can leave," the guy in the chair said. "Take a break."

"It's not."

"Damian, it's really, really important that you come up front," Thomas said.

Damian "Lizard" Calaway looked up at his apprentice, knowing it must've been a serious problem if the younger man was using his given name.

"Fine," he said, then he looked at his client. "I'll be back in five or I can have Al finish this up."

"Al's on break," Thomas said. "He's out with Marnie."

"You know what? It looks good," the guy said, looking at the half finished name on his arm.

"But it says _"Ren"_," Thomas pointed out. "Isn't it supposed to be _"Renee_"?"

"Yeah, but I call her Ren and this hurts like a bitch, so I'm good. What do I owe you?"

"Seventy five," Damian said. "Thomas, take the man up front and get him settled, and tell who ever's waitin' for me that I'll be with them shortly. I've gotta clean up first."

"Alright," the younger man said, nodding as he watched the client leave the chair and walk past him after Damian had but a piece of gauze over the fresh ink, back into the front room where they heard the guy squawk in surprise.

"Find out what's wrong with him, and don't forget to tell him how to take care of his ink," Damian said.

Thomas only nodded as he returned to his post, leaving his boss alone to clean up his station.

_I wonder who's here that would make Tommy act so twitchy_, he thought as he removed the used needles from the gun and dropped them in small biohazard bag before placing them in the used needle bin mounted on the wall before cleaning the gun itself and putting back on the table as he stood up, grabbing the box of disinfectant wipes and wiping down the chair, tossing the wipes into the trash along with his gloves. _Probably some wanna be big shot, but then again if the person looks like they have money, the kid freaks out._

Sighing, Damian moved away from his station, passing through the beads, ready to face whomever it was that had Thomas freaking out, and stopping dead in his tracks when he saw who stood in the middle of his waiting room.

"What in the hell are you doin' here?" he asked, staring his father down.

Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway didn't flinch at the harshness of his eldest sons words, but the tall blonde next to him did slightly, her gaze focused on the wall behind the younger man in an attempt to avoid his scathing glare.

"It was her idea," he said, gesturing to the blonde. "I told her you didn't want us here."

"And she's right, so get lost before I call the cops since ya'll are tresspassin' on my property."

"Damian, I want to talk," the blonde said.

"Michelle, we ain't got nothin' to talk about," the younger man said. "You made that clear the day you fucked up things between my father and Sara. So get lost."

"Damian..."

"Thomas, call the cops. Tell'em we've got two folks who are refusin' to leave."

The younger man started to pick up the phone, but he hesitated when Mark glanced at him.

"Don't you go princess on me, Tommy, pick up that phone and call the cops," Damian said again.

"But, Lizard, he's your dad and stuff, man."

"I don't care. I don't want'em here," the older man said, then he turned and headed back through the beads.

"What's wrong with him now?" Mark asked, looking at Thomas.

"Ally left him," the boy replied. "We don't know why or where she went."

"Ally left him?" Michelle asked, actually looking concerned for her step-son.

Thomas only nodded.

"Tell him I'll be back later," the older man said, not looking at the boy behind the counter as he turned and left the shop, Michelle following him.

Thomas, not sure of what to really to do, just perched himself back up on his stool and waited for the right time to deliver the message to his boss.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian and his parlors.**_

**A/N:** Thank you to Sonib89, lil-miss-wrestling-fan, and I luv miss Jeff and Edge for your reviews, you guys are awesome!

**Chapter Two**

"God damn son ofa bitch!"

That was the first thing Albert Johnson heard when he walked through the back door of the parlor, followed by a crash.

"He's in a mood, isn't he?" the little red head following him asked.

"Yeah, sounds like it," he replied as they made their way down the short hallway that lead the tattoo area and piercing room if you went straight and a flight of stairs midway down and to the right.

Another crash drifted down the stairs, followed by more cursing.

"You want me to talk to him or do you want to do it?"

"I'll do it, Marnie. You go and check on Tommy, the poor kid's probably freakin' out."

"Good luck," she said as she patted him on the back before heading for the parlor proper while he headed up the stairs.

When he reached the top, Albert paused outside of the black painted door that led to the office before he knocked on it.

The door swung open to reveal a wild eyed Damian.

"What's wrong, man?" he asked, looking at his friend.

The bigger man didn't say anything, he only turned around and walked back into the office with his friend following him, shutting the door.

Looking around, Albert took in the mess that had been the office.

The desk was over turned, as where the two heavy file cabinets, the chairs where scattered around the room and it looked like the sofa was the victim of a vicious stabbing, stuffing littering the floor and some still floated in the air.

_He is really pissed off_, he thought. _If the file cabinets are on their sides and the sofa's shredded._

"Bad day," Damian replied, righting his chair and dropping into it. "Just a really, really bad day. My week started off with my coming home from L.A to find out my girlfriend's left me with no warning or explanation, Tommy's cost me a good client because he got nervous and fucked up and now..."

"Your old man showed up, didn't he?"

"With her."

"Dude, why don't you just give her a chance?" Albert asked, fixing one of the other chairs and sitting down.

"Because she fucked things up between my dad and Sara, alright? She's the reason things went south and why I only get to see my sisters on holidays, if we're lucky."

"That's not true, Lizard," Albert said, pointing at the bigger man. "Sara said you can see the girls whenever you want because you've got a steady job that doesn't take you around the world, your dad is the one out of luck when it comes to them."

"I know, but it's because of Her that when I do talk to my sisters, Gunner even, they ask me if I've seen or talked to Dad," he said, sighing. "They see him on the weekends and his days off, but it still hurts me to hear them talk about how much they miss him."

"Or how much you miss him?"

Albert realized he'd made a mistake with those words when dark green eyes locked onto him with a glare so cold he actually felt the temperature in the room drop.

"I do not miss my father," Damian said. "He's had plenty of chances over the years to come and see me since I've moved to St. Louis, and has he done it? No, not one fucking time, Al. Not one fucking time has he come to see me."

"He's tried, and you kept turning him away, man," Albert said. "Or you'd tell him not to come and see you if Michelle was with him."

"That's because I don't like her."

"I know, you don't, but why don't you give her a chance?"

"Remember what she did to my bike?"

"Steve? Yeah, you told me she sold it by mistake."

"Mistake my ass, Al! She sold my bike 'cause she doesn't like me!"

Albert sighed and shook his head.

"Why did they come in, Lizard?" he asked.

Damian was quiet for a moment, staring at the floor, before he looked at his friend again.

"Dad said She wanted to talk to me," he replied.

"And what did you do?"

"Threatened to call the cops on them."

"See what I mean? Every time they try to extend an olive branch to you, you get pissed off and throw a tantrum," Albert said, sitting up in his chair. "How old are you again?"

"Twenty three."

"And you're acting like a spoiled five year old. Now, I suggest you man up and talk to them, see why Michelle wants to talk to you."

"Because she's just doing this to make my dad happy."

"Whatever, man, it's your thing. I'm going back to work," Albert said, standing up and moving towards the door. "When you decide what you're gonna do, let me know."

Damian didn't say anything as his friend left the office, he only sat staring at the wall.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

**Chapter Three**

"Where are we?" Michelle asked, taking in the not so safe looking neighborhood her husband had taken them too after leaving Damian's shop.

"Looking for Zoë," he replied, pulling the rental car up in front of what looked like a car repair shop.

"Zoë?"

"Damian's sister."

"Sister? Do you have any more kids I need to know about?" Michelle asked, wanting to know exactly how many kids her husband had.

"Foster sister. The year before Lydia and I split up, we took Zoë in after my brother took her from her parents during a drug bust," Mark replied. "Damian took to her like a dog to a bone. He wouldn't let her out of his sight, and we where the only family she ever really knew."

"How old was she when you got her?"

"Zoë was one and Damian was two."

"Two years old and he wouldn't let her out of his sights?"

"Yeah, I told him that his mother and I needed help lookin' after the baby, and at two years old he took his job very seriously, even after she went back to her real mother when she was ten, Zoë was Damian's main priority, still is."

"And we're looking for her why?"

"She can get Damian to talk to us," Mark replied, getting out of the car. "You can wait here or come with me."

"I'll come with you," Michelle said, also leaving the car and following him into the shop.

"Can I help you?" a grease smeared man in his late fifties asked the couple as they walked into the office.

"I'm lookin' for Zoë Atherton," Mark replied. "She here?"

"In the back," the man replied, gesturing towards the garage proper. "If ya can find her."

Nodding his thanks to the man, Mark led Michelle into the shop.

It was like any other garage in America.

Half stripped cars up on lifts, more waiting in bays to be looked at or cleaned up and returned to their owners, a few men and women shouting things at one another, either orders or good natured insults.

"Ya need some...oh, holy fuck! I know who you guys are!" a young man, who's jumpsuit said his name was Jeff, exclaimed upon seeing who had entered the shop. "Guys! Guys, look who's here!"

"Could you not do that?" Michelle asked, noticing how the other people in the shop where now openly staring at them.

"Oh, uh, sorry, is there something I can do for ya?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I'm lookin' for Zoë. Is she back here?" Mark asked.

"Very back, where the big rigs go," the young man replied. "I'll take ya."

"Thanks."

Michelle stayed close to her husband as they followed the happily chattering young man to the back of the building, where another set of bay doors stood open, but instead of small cars and pick up trucks, semis and other big trucks sat waiting to be worked on or where in the process of being worked on.

"God damn son of a donkey fucking bitch!"

"We can find her ourselves now, thanks, kid," Mark said, glancing at Jeff, walking towards the source of the cursing, Michelle trailing after him.

"You're welcome!" Jeff said cheerily before he turned and headed back to his part of the garage.

"Get on there you cock sucking piece of shit!"

Three men where working on other trucks, but they where laughing and shaking their heads every time a curse was heard, talking amongst themselves.

"Are you sure she's here, Mark?"

"Yeah, she is."

"Jesus fucking Christ! Why won't you get on there?"

As they rounded a large black truck, the source of the cursing came into view.

The person was standing a step-ladder, but still having to tip-toe, leaning over the fender of the truck, half way into the engine.

"You fuckin' piece of shit. I just picked you up from the parts house, so you better fuckin' work."

"Princess, didn't I teach you it's not polite for a lady to curse?"

"No, you taught me how to hit a person in the jaw without busing my hand," the young woman said, looking over her shoulder and smiling.

"I hopin' you haven't done anything like that."

"Dad, I bust my knuckles enough around this place, I don't need to be doing it on peoples faces," she said, moving away from the truck and hopping off of the ladder. "What brings you to St. Louis, and my place of employment no less?"

"We came to talk to Damian, and he's being..."

"Damian's home?"

"Yeah, he's been back for about week," Mark replied. "Didn't you know?"

"No, he never called and told me he was back, I've been tryin' to get a hold of that monkey ass. Is he okay?"

"He's fine, just goin' through some stuff right now, but I need you talk to him."

"Is it because of her?" the young woman asked, looking at Michelle. "Because if it is, I know all about you, lady. I know what you did and what you've done to Dami."

"Princess, please don't start this. We got enough of it from Damian out in L.A.," Mark said. "Will you talk to him?"

"Sure, why the hell not? Maybe I can find out why he didn't call me when he got home," she said, shrugging, then she looked at Michelle again before she stepped forward and hugged the older woman.

"I'm Zoë," she said, smiling at her handy-work.

The front of Michelle's baby-blue shirt was smudged with grease. "Welcome to the family."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

**Chapter Four**

"What do you mean you're taking another week off?" Albert asked, watching Damian pack up his gear. "You just got back!"

"I'll still be in town, just not here," the bigger man said, looking at his friend. "I'll be home, tryin' to piece my life..."

"Lizard," Tommy said, poking his head through the beads. "Your dad's back."

"Is he alone?"

The younger man nodded. "Show'em to the office, and I'll be up when I'm done here."

"Okay," he said, disappearing through the beads again.

"You gonna talk to him this time?" Albert asked.

"I have too, Al, he's my old man and my family. When Mama...when Mama leaves...he's gonna be all I've got."

"Other then your brother and sisters?"

"You know what I mean," Damian said, glaring at his friend. "Keep an eye on things down here, right?"

"Right," Albert said, watching his friend disappear through the beads.

Thomas was just coming through the hidden door behind the front counter.

"Is he really alone?" Damian asked.

"Yep. He's up in the office waiting, and might I add, your dad is a very nice man," the younger man replied.

"Sadly," the older man said as he rounded the counter and slipped through the panel door into a small room that held the businesses safe and back up computer hard drives, thumping on the wall at the back of the space.

It popped open to reveal the back hallway.

"Help Al, and don't fuck anything up," he said as the first door swung shut and he stepped into the hall, letting the door swing shut behind him as he headed for the stairs, trudging up them like he was on his way to meet the devil himself, and in a way, he was.

Pushing open the office door, he found Mark standing in the middle of the office, taking in the mess he had yet to clean up from his earlier tantrum.

"Hurricane Damian hit again, I see," the older man said, looking back at his son. "You've gotta get that temper of yours under control, boy."

"Well, I've gotta lot of things going on right now, Dad," Damian said, moving across the room to sit in his chair behind his over turned desk, gesturing to the chair Albert had righted earlier in the afternoon.

"The boy down stairs said Ally took off."

"Yeah, she did. I'm thinkin' the day after I talked to her to have Michelle added to my NO-GO lists."

"I told you she was trouble, Dami," Mark said, taking the chair his son had offered him.

"I know, but I was young and stupid," Damian said. "Just turned twenty, met a hot chick at a club I wasn't supposed to be in and I was probably stoned offa my ass."

"Close to it."

"Why'd you really come here, Dad? I know this ain't a social visit," Damian said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you here to try and make me talk to what's her name?"

"I'm not tryin' to make you do anything, Damian," Mark replied, "but it would be nice if you gave Michelle five minutes."

"Like she gives me? She won't even look at me," the younger man said. "Does she treat Gunner and the girls the same way?"

"No."

"Then why am I different? Why doesn't she like me, Dad?"

"It might have something to do with that time you egged her at that house show in Austin two years ago."

"That wasn't me."

"Right, and the huge banner hanging from the "_Welcome to Austin_" sign that read "_**MICHELLE MCCOOL IS A WHORE!**_" wasn't you either."

"She never proved it was me," Damian said. "And it seems that since you've hooked up with her, you don't have time for any of us kids anymore. She's always got you off doing something else."

He realized his mistake too late when he found himself, and his chair, pinned against the wall.

"Don't you ever say that again, Damian Marcus," Mark growled. "I always make time for the four of you, and you damn well know it. You, your brother and sisters always come first."

"Like when I called and told you that Mama was dyin'?" Damian asked. "And that she wanted to see you to discuss her will?"

Mark let his son go and stepped back. "You told her you couldn't go to L.A. because you where busy, but you never said what was going on that kept you away."

"You called me a week before Mania, Damian," the older man said. "I couldn't leave. Vince had all of us running around doin' appearances in Phoenix and other places."

"And you couldn't tell him that you needed a couple of days off to see the dying mother of your eldest child? I'm sure he would've given you the time off. You are, after all, one of his cash cows. Like people flock to see Cena, they come in droves to see you."

"Damian..."

"Mama wants you to have her engagement ring. The one you gave her when ya'll found out I was on the way. She wants Chasey to have it when she gets older," the younger man said, cutting his fathers words off. "If there's anything else that you want from when you two where together, that she still has, I suggest you go and talk to her about it while there's still time."

A tense silence fell over the room for a moment before Mark asked,

"How much time?"

"Nine, ten months at the most," Damian replied quietly. "They thought she was gettin' better, but the cancer's spreadin' faster then they can find it. I talked to Joe last night and she's gotten worse since we saw her last week."

"Why didn't she anything when I was there?"

"She didn't want you to worry, Dad. Mama still loves you and you know it. And don't discuss going back to L.A with Michelle, just go. I don't want Mama to...leave...thinkin' you don't care about her."

"I'll talk to Vince tonight, let him know what's going on and that I'm going to be missing some more shows, but if I go back to L.A, I want you to do something in return for me, Damian."

"I'm not talkin' to that woman, Dad. She called me the biggest mistake of your life," Damian said, standing up. "Now, if our little visit is over, I've got stuff to do."

Mark sighed and shook his head.

"I hope that one day you get off of that damn high horse of yours, boy, it's nothin' but trouble," he said, "and I'll talk to Michelle about treatin' you the way she does."

Damian didn't say anything, he only stood there staring at his father until Mark left the office, pulling the door shut behind him.

When he was gone, Damian looked kicked the various papers and other things on the floor aside until he found the phone.

Picking it up, he dialed the extension for the front counter.

"Tommy, cancel all of my appointments for this week and tell'em I'm sick," he said. "No, I'm not really sick, but I'm takin' the week off. See if anybody wants to reschedule for two weeks from today, alright? Thanks, kid."

Hanging up the phone, he put it back down the floor and sat back down in his chair, sighing.

He'd use his week off to get things back in order, try to figure out why his girlfriend had left him with no warning and pick up some more rabbits for his snakes before he forgot to do it again like he had a few days earlier.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

**Chapter Five**

"You're comin' to stay with me," Zoë said, smiling at Michelle. "I've got a guest room and it's been forever since I've seen Dad."

The two women where sitting in a somewhat decent café down the street from the garage, talking (per the orders of Mark) and the younger of the two was trying to be nice while the blonde was trying to shoot her down.

"Zoë, we couldn't do that," the older woman said. "We're leaving tomorrow as it is."

"Oh," the little brunette said, looking crestfallen "Well, at least come over and let me make dinner. I make a killer lasagna."

"Sorry, but stuff like that isn't part of the diet," Michelle said, smiling and giving a little shrug.

"You are a bitch," Zoë said matter of factly. "No wonder Damian doesn't like you."

"Damian seems to dislike a lot of things."

"And you're one of them, but because Dad obviously loves you, I'm going to try and at least make the effort to get to know you, unlike Dami," Zoë said. "And if you won't come and eat my cooking, let me treat you to dinner."

"Well…"

"You don't know. Well, I'm gonna call Dad and talk to him," the younger woman said, picking up her cell phone and sliding it open, but Michelle reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Don't do that," she said.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Let's make something for Damian," the blonde said, not answering the question. "What does he like?"

"Chinese. Why?" Zoë asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Zoë, I've been trying for the last three years to get Damian to like me, or at least pretend he does," Michelle said. "But he keeps making things difficult for both Mark and myself. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well, you're his third step-mother and the one who treats him like crap," the brunette said. "He doesn't adjust well to change. You should've seen how he reacted when Jodi was pregnant with Gunner, it still scares me to this day and Dami was only six years old."

Michelle sat staring at Zoë for a moment before she said,

"I want you to help me get Damian to like me."

"Why should I? From what I've heard, you haven't been very nice to Dami over the years."

"I'll give you fifty dollars."

"Make it three fifty and I'll sing a song too."

"Um, dinner will be enough, Zoë," the older woman said.

"But we have to take it to his place."

"Why?"

"Taking Dami out when he's in a bad mood isn't fun for anyone with him. He's a real buzz kill when he's in a bad mood."

"Okay, we'll go and get dinner and take it to his place. I haven't seen it yet."

Zoë stared at Michelle wide eyed.

"You've never been to his apartment, or seen the snakes?"

"No, but I've heard Mark talking about the "grandkids" as he calls them before, but I've never seen them or the apartment."

"Then you are in a for a treat. Damian's place is so cool, you're gonna love it," Zoë said.

"I'm sure I will."

"Alright, let's get to work," the little brunette said, standing up. "If I know Damian like I do, he might be at home already and if we want to catch him before he feeds the snakes, we can help."

"Sounds like fun," Michelle said, standing up as well and following the petite young woman from the café, not sure if she really wanted to go to her step-sons home or not.

**One Hour Later…..**

"Mrs. Jorgenson, you have to know where Alison is," Damian said, staring at the blank TV. "If she's there, please tell her I need to talk to her. I need to know what I did wrong to make her leave without saying something."

He was quiet, listening to the older woman talk, nodding now and then. "Alright, thank you."

With a sigh, he put the phone down on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes, only to sit up and glare at the door when someone knocked on it.

"Go away!" he yelled.

"Damian, open the door!"

Recognizing the voice, he stood up and crossed the room to the door, looking through the peep hole.

He saw the top of a brunette head in standing in the hallway.

Smiling, he unlocked the door to reveal Zoë, but the smile disappeared and turned into a glare when he saw who was standing behind his sister.

The two woman stood there, holding boxes bearing the logo of his favorite Chinese restaurant, both smiling.

"What's she doing here?" he asked, gesturing to Michelle.

"She bought dinner," Zoë replied, smiling up at her brother.

"Where's Dad?"

"He'll be here shortly," Michelle replied. "He was on the phone with Vince when we left the hotel."

"Hmmm."

"Damian, be nice," the little brunette said, pushing him aside and walking into the apartment with Michelle following her. "The kitchen's this way."

The young man shut and relocked the front door, all the while watching the two women and wondering what his sister was up too.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

**Chapter Six**

While Zoë went about getting dinner set up, Michelle took the time to look around her step-sons home.

He lived in a nice sized apartment, and from what she could see, there was a short hallway that led to what she guessed to be two bedrooms at one end of the apartment and on the far side of the room was another door she assumed was the bathroom.

The living room had a cozy looking black sectional couch with two matching recliners, a low, black lacquered coffee table sat in the center of the room, various magazines and catalogs scattered on top of it, sitting opposite the couch and chairs and to the right of the front door was a large dark cherry wood entertainment center, a set of doors hiding the TV and sitting against the wall by the hallway was a high end stereo system.

There was a bookshelf jammed with books, DVDS, and VHS tapes against the wall opposite the door, framed pictures sitting on the shelves and on top of it.

"The paint job is interesting," she said, glancing at the little brunette who was going through cupboards, looking at the walls.

They started out dark blue at the base of the wall and faded to light near the ceiling, pictures of family and friends hung in black shadow box frames side by side with wall hangings of dragons.

"Dami did it all himself," Zoë replied, climbing up onto the counter to look into a cupboard. "I tried to help him, so did Quinn, Al and Tommy, but he told us to leave him alone. He wanted to make the place look nice for Alison."

"And I spent a lot of money on her," Damian said, appearing in the kitchen. "Then she pays me back by taking off and not telling me why."

"Damian, you don't have any dishes," his sister said, looking at him, not wanting to go into the conversation he wanted to start.

"I know," he replied.

"Well, where are they?"

After hearing what the young man had done to his office, Michelle had a pretty good idea what had happened to the dishes, but she kept quiet as Damian gestured to a box sitting by the trash can.

Zoë walked over to it and looked inside, gasping when she saw it was full of broken dishes and glass.

"What happened?" she asked, looking back at him.

"I had a little accident," he said, shrugging. "So tape that back up, I don't want Randy getting into it."

"Is Randy one of your snakes?" Michelle asked.

The young man only glared at her and turned around, leaving the kitchen.

"Talk to him," Zoë said, walking over to the older blonde and nudging her in the same direction. "Dad's not here to run interference between you two."

"What if he does something to me?"

"He won't. Damian's all bark and no bite. Now go."

"Alright, but if anything happens to me, it's on your head, Zoë," Michelle said as she followed her after her step-son.

As she rounded the wall separating the kitchen from the living room, she saw him heading down the hallway towards the room at the end of it, and felt something brush her shoulder.

Looking to her right, she found herself eye to eye with a large brown snake.

"Zoë!" she shrieked when the snakes tongue flicked out and brushed her face, stumbling backwards and almost falling over the low coffee table.

"What? What's wrong?" the younger woman asked, coming out of the kitchen holding a wooden spoon like a club. "Do I have to kick Dami's ass?"

"No! No, it's that!"

Looking to where Michelle was pointing, Zoë saw a snake half hanging, half coiled around a lighting fixture.

From the other side of the room, they both heard a low laugh and Damian walked across the room, smirking.

"There you are," he said, gently uncoiling the snake and picking it up, holding it to it was face to face with him. "I've been lookin' all over for you."

He glanced at his step-mother. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "I thought you would've had that thing penned up."

"The other two, yeah, but Randy here is still small enough for me to control and let wander the place," the young man said, draping the snake around his neck, lifting it's head to look at it again. "Right, baby? You wouldn't hurt _Grandmama _Michelle, would ya?"

The blonde scowled at the nick name he'd given her.

"He's grown since I was here last," Zoë said, walking over to her brother and running her hand along the snakes back. "How big is he now?"

"About three and a half feet," he replied. "Almost twenty pounds."

"Why'd you name him Randy?" Michelle asked.

Damian gave her a _"Are you kidding me"_ look before saying,

"I named him Randy because he reminds me of Randy Orton. They're both show up when you don't expect them too, and they're the same color."

"He'll be happy to hear that," she said.

"He knows. He's met Randy before, Elizabeth snake sits for me now and then, anyways, I was about to feed these guys. You wanna meet the other two?"

"Sure. I've heard about your babies but never had the chance to see them."

"After you then," Damian said, gesturing for Michelle to walk ahead of him.

"Damian, you be nice," Zoë said. "Don't threaten to feed her to the snakes."

The young man looked his step-mother over while gently pulling Randy back around his neck when the snake tried to slither down his arm.

"Naw, she's too skinny," he said, looking at his sister again. "Not enough meat on her to keep either of the boys happy."

"Damian, I'll tell Dad."

"Oh, I was just kiddin' Zoë. You know my boys aren't big enough to eat person and besides, Dad would kill me if anything happened to her because it's obvious she means more to him then I do."

"Don't start this, Damian Marcus. We're going to have a nice family dinner. Now go and show her the snakes while I finish getting things set up."

"Whatever," he said, walking past Michelle and down the hallway.

"Go," Zoë whispered to the blonde, gesturing for her to follow the young man.

With a nervous glance at the younger woman, Michelle followed her step-son.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

_**A/N: Hey, did ya'll hear that John Cena is now a member of the Nexus thanks to two "fans" who rushed the ring? I laughed when I read that. I knew that was going to happen (not the "fans", I just guessed he would lose). I can't wait for Monday Night Raw to see what's going to happen!**_

**Chapter Seven**

"So, this little guys name is Randy?" Michelle asked, gesturing to the snake her step-son held.

"Yeah," he replied, leading her into the room at the end of the hallway and flipping the light on, stepping aside as his step-mother entered the room.

"Whoa," she said as she stood staring at the two floor to ceiling tanks that took up most of the room.

One sat opposite the door, the other sat to the left side of the room while a smaller enclosure sat to the right.

"Michelle, meet my boys," Damian said, gesturing to the two tanks.

Both tanks held what looked like half of a tree, and very big snakes.

The tank she stood in front of held a very large dark gray snake with brown patches on it while the other enclosure house an almost white snake with faint tan patches running down its back and side.

"The bad boy to your left is Thor. He's an albino Colombian boa," the young man said. "And the monster straight ahead is Godzilla, my pride and joy."

"They're huge!" Michelle exclaimed, looking at her step-son. "How big are they?"

"Well," he said, putting Randy into his little home. "Thor is six feet even and Godzilla is seven feet, which is unusual for a male. Normally he'd only be six feet, but I like to think it's because I take such good care of him. They both weigh about forty five pounds."

"Do you ever let them out?" she asked, afraid he'd say yes.

"No, not anymore. When they where just little guys, four, five feet like Randy is now, I'd let them out but now I don't mess with them unless I've got two or three people here with me to help."

Michelle only nodded, shocked that Damian was being civil without Mark being there to force him to be nice. "They're too big for me now to really mess with, other then to feed. When it comes to cleaning the tanks, I need at least two people to help me do that. So, ya wanna feed one of'em?"

"Um, sure," she replied, watching him move to a mini fridge that sat just inside the door to the right and open it, pulling out two plastic wrapped...things. "What are those?"

"Rabbits."

From the living room, they heard the door open and Zoë talking.

"That's probably your father," she said, skirting around him heading for the door. "Thanks for, um, showing me the snakes."

"Whatever," he said, turning his attention to his pets.

For a moment, Michelle watched him before heading for the front of the apartment.

"You survived," Zoë said when the blonde walked into the kitchen, then she looked at Mark, who was leaning against the counter behind her. "He's been drinking."

"How can you tell?" he asked.

"Well, when we got here he didn't call me a whore and slam the door in our faces," Michelle said.

"And he showed her the snakes, willingly," the little brunette added.

"He asked me if I wanted to feed one of them."

"What?" both Mark and Zoë asked, staring at the blonde

"Damian asked me if I wanted to feed one of his snakes," she repeated. "Is that not something he does?"

Mark didn't say anything, he only left the room and disappeared from sight while Zoë stood shaking her head. "What?"

"The only time Dami asks for anybody to do anything involving Thor and Godzilla is when he's cleaning the tanks, then he has Quinn and Al come over to help him, other then that, nobody messes with those things but him. Not even Dad is allowed to mess with them," she replied.

"Well, maybe Damian asking me to feed one of the snakes was his way of offering an olive branch," Michelle said.

"He's half assed drunk, Michelle, you yourself noticed it," the younger woman said. "He only does stupid things when he's been drinking. Ask Dad about July of '07, he'll tell you something about Dami only a few of us know."

"I was with your father that year, and I don't remember him saying anything about Damian doing something stupid."

"Well, then, it just shows he doesn't trust you with everything."

* * *

"There ya go, fellas," Damian said, watching as Thor and Godzilla moved towards the rabbits in their tanks. "Dinner time."

"Where is it?"

Not looking back, the young man only shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied. "Could be in my room or the bathroom. I woke up in here."

"How much, and what of?" Mark asked.

"Half a bottle of Jäger."

"Boy, you can keep doin' this."

"It's my life, Dad, I'll deal with my problems my way," Damian said, still not looking at his father.

"And kill yourself in the process?"

That comment got the younger Calaway to turn around and face his father.

"Dad, just leave me alone to wallow in myself pity, okay?"

"Fine, you're a grown man, do what you want."

"Thank you."

"Michelle said you brought her in here."

"I did, what's it to you?"

"The only time you offer to show anyone those two monsters is when you're drunk and braggin' about'em or you wanna scare someone who's been harrassin' ya," Mark replied. "And I know for a fact you've never been this low before."

"Well, I've been dealin' with some personal things, Dad. Ya know, like helpin' Mom plan her funeral, tryin' to figure out why my girfried just up and left me, what I'm gonna do if I lose everything in the lawsuit I'm sure to be hit with."

"What lawsuit?"

"Tommy didn't tell ya? He told you about me and Ally, but he didn't tell you about what he did? He didn't tell you about fucking up a two thousand dollar tattoo and how I had to pay the guy back with cash outta my safe and even after I paid him back, the guy's still threatening to sue me for everything I own!"

Mark stood watching his son, who was staring him down, knowing that the last time he'd seen the young man as upset as he was now was the night his bike had been mistakenly sold by Michelle, and how severe Damian's situation was right now.

The silence between the two was broken by Zoë yelling from the kitchen,

"Dad! Damian, get your asses out here! Dinner's ready!"

The younger of the two didn't say anything, he walked past his father, leaving the older man to think of a way to help his son before things got worse.

* * *

**A/N:** Uh, if this chapter seemed to suck, I'm sorry. I've had writers block for both this story and Bridges Rebuilt (the end of that fic is coming up really soon). And what about the Undertaker being betrayed by Paul Bearer at Hell In A Cell? Wow, I was hoping the Deadman would pick up the win, boy was I wrong. But it's okay, he'll get his revenge.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars or the Orton family. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey, Damian, his parlors, and Zoë.**_

**Chapter Eight**

Dinner was a tense affair, with everyone staring at one another awkwardly until Zoë, looking between Mark and Damian, asked,

"What's wrong with you two?"

"Nothin'," Damian mumbled, pushing around the food on his plate (after a long search, Zoë had managed to find some dishes her brother had missed in his tantrum).

"C'mon on, man, you can tell me," she said, jabbing his arm with her fork.

"Nothing is wrong, Zoë," he snapped, glaring at her before he shoved his plate away and stood up, moving away from the table and leaving the kitchen. "Lock the door when ya'll leave."

"Damian..." Michelle started to say, but the glare he have her as he walked by shut her up.

When he was gone, and after they'd heard a door slam shut, did anyone speak.

"What's wrong with Damian, Dad?" Zoë asked, looking at the older man, who didn't reply.

"Mark, what's wrong with the kid?" Michelle asked. "He's being civil to me without you threatening to kill him."

"He's just in one of his moods," he finally said, "that's all."

The two women looked at one another before they both started to jab him with their forks.

"What is wrong with Damian?"

"Why is he drinking and being nice to me?"

"If you stop stabbin' me, I'll tell you what's wrong," Mark finally said, glaring between the two.

"I'll think about it," Zoë said, jabbing her father again.

"Zoë Star..."

"Thought about it."

"Thank you," he said as she put her fork down, hands folded politely on the table top. "Now, Dami's problems are his girlfriend just up and left'em without any reason why..."

"Tommy told me about that the other day," the little brunette said. "Now I know why Damian didn't tell me he was home."

"...his mother..."

"Mom? What's wrong with Mom?"

Mark ignored her question and the look he gave Michelle told her to do the same.

"...and some guy that Tommy kid pissed of is threatenin' to sue."

"Why?" Michelle asked.

"He was doin' some work on the guy and messed it up, big time. Damian had to pay the guy back two thousand dollars."

"Dad, what is wrong with Mom?" Zoë asked again, reaching out and hitting his arm. "Why is Dami having problems with Mom? What's wrong going on? Is she okay?"

"Sweetie, let's go in the other room," Michelle said, no longer able to ignore the panicked look in the younger woman's eyes. "I'll explain every thing that's going on."

Reluctantly, Zoë stood up and followed her step-mother into the living room, leaving Mark alone in the kitchen.

He sat staring at the table top, waiting for the moment the young woman would came stalking into the room to yell at him.

That moment never came, instead there was a crash, followed by running footsteps and a door slamming shut.

"She knocked over the book shelf," Michelle said, walking back into the kitchen.

"Where'd she go?"

"Damian's room, I think."

"Good," Mark stated, standing up. "I can talk to both of'em. If you hear yellin' or anything breaking, it's just one of'em throwing a fit, so there's nothing to worry about."

"If you say so," Michelle said, following him back into the living room. "You deal with them, I'll clean up in here."

He only nodded as he prepared himself for a confrontation with his two pissed off children.

A/N: It's almost been twenty years since Undertaker entered the WWE at Survivor Series. How cool is that?


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Johnny, Damian, his parlors, Zoe and Astrid**_

**Chapter Nine**

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME MOM WAS DYING?" Zoë shrieked, throwing the TV remote at Damian, who ducked back into his closet, pulling the door shut and hearing the remote smack against the wood.

"I forgot!" he said.

"You forgot? How do you forget something like that, Damian Marcus!"

Hearing the door open, the young woman looked towards it to see Mark walk into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Where's your brother?" he asked.

"I'm in here," came the reply from behind the closed closet door.

"Get outta there, boy, we need to talk."

"Is Zoë done throwing things?"

"She is," Mark replied, glancing at the young woman who was glaring at him.

"Good."

The closet door opened and Damian stepped into the room and moved over to his bed, dropping onto it, warily eying the little brunette.

When he was sure that the young woman wasn't going to throw another tantrum, did Mark say anything.

"Zoë, I know you're upset Lydia."

"I'm not upset, I'm fuckin' pissed off!" she yelled. "How could you two neglect to tell me that she's dying?"

"She didn't want us too, Zoë," Damian said.

"Why not?" his sister asked, looking at him.

"Princess, she didn't want you to worry about her," Mark said. "Goin' through the things you've grown up with, she didn't want you to get worked up over something you can't fix and thought it would be for the best that you didn't know."

Zoë stood staring up at the man who had been the only father she'd even known, the one person after Damian she knew she could run to if things got to crazy for her, and kicked him in the shin.

"You sorry son of a bitch! For twenty years you and Lydia where the only family I've known and you just decide I don't need to know that she's dying? That it'd be okay to leave me out of the loop!"

"Zoë..." he tried to say, reaching out for her, but the young woman backed up, looking between him and Damian.

"You two make me sick," she spat out, then she kicked him again and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut.

"That went well," Damian said. "She didn't kill anyone. Yet."

"Damian," Mark said.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Shut up."

"I'll need help gettin' this back up," Michelle said to the empty living room as she stood looking at the book shelf.

She'd picked up the pictures and cleaned up the broken glass, but the heavy shelf was another story and anything on the shelves that hadn't scattered when it hit the floor, would have to be picked up when the shelf was moved. "Mark and Damian will have to do this for me."

Hearing a door slamming shut, she looked over her shoulder and saw Zoë storming down the hallway towards her, tears falling down her face.

"Zoë, sweetie, are you alright?" she asked.

"Fuck off," the little brunette snapped as she stormed out of the apartment, leaving the door open.

"I told you we should've told her about Mama bein' sick."

"Damian, your mother made her choice, there's nothing we can do about it now."

Looking back again, the blonde found her husband and step-son coming down the hallway this time.

"She told Home-wrecker she's sick," the younger man said. "Why didn't she want to tell Zoë? And who knocked over my book shelf?"

"Zoë did," Michelle replied, looking between the two, then she looked at her husband. "And why did Lydia want me to know she was dying, but not Zoë, the girl she'd raised for ten years?"

"Yeah, Dad. You told the princess that Mama didn't want her to worry so why'd she tell Michelle and leave Zoë outta the loop?"

Mark sighed.

"She only wanted immediate family to know," he said, looking at his son. "Me and you, Dami, that was supposed to be it, but then she decided, why I don't know, that Michelle needed to know too."

"But why not Zoë?" Michelle asked. "I'm not family, so I shouldn't be involved in this."

"She wanted you to know so that when she...leaves...someone will be there for Dad," Damian said. "But as for Zoë..."

"Damian, I didn't want you tellin' your sister about Lydia because she doesn't want anything to do with the girl anymore and if she found that out, it would kill her."

"Why doesn't Mama want anything to with Zoë anymore, Dad?"

"I don't know, Dami," the older man replied, shaking his head. "She just told me when we where in L.A that it wasn't any of Princess's business that she was dying."

"That's low, Mark, really low," Michelle said, glaring at her husband.

"Yeah, Dad," Damian said, surprising himself by siding with his step-mother. "I would tell you to go and talk to Zoë, but she might push you down the stairs or the elevator shaft."

"She probably wants to kill both of you," the blonde said, looking between the two. "I'll go and talk to her, you two," she gestured to the book shelf. "Clean this up."

Then, without waiting for them to answer her, she left the apartment.

"I'm leavin'," Damian said, stepping away from his father and grabbing his jacket as he headed for the door.

"Where in the hell are you goin'?" Mark asked.

"Out," the younger man replied, "lock the door when ya'll leave, Zoë has a key."

At the end of the hallway, Michelle was trying to get the younger woman to talk to her when Damian went waltzing past them and down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Out!" he replied.

"You wanna know where he's going, don't you?" Zoë asked, not looking at the older woman.

"No, I could care less."

"Yeah, right. You might pretend to hate Damian, but I can tell you care about him. Go and tell Mark we're going out to spend some "girl time" together, get to know one another, and I'll show what Dami' night job is."

Curios as to what Zoë was talking about, Michelle left the little brunette sitting on the stairs and headed back to her step-sons apartment.

**A/N:** Hmmm, what could Damian's night job be? We'll find out in the next chapter, and for any CM Punk fans out there who are reading this, he's blonde now. Saw it with my own eyes. He bleached his hair, doesn't look too bad.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Johnny, Damian, his parlors, employees and wrestling friends, Zoë and Astrid**_

_**A/N: All of this takes place before the unification of the Women's Championship and the Diva's Championship.**_

**Chapter Ten**

"Is this a high school?" Michelle asked as Zoë pulled her car into a parking lot that was half full of cars and what looked like moving trucks, after an hour and a half drive.

"It is."

"What, is Damian a night janitor or something?"

"No, you'll see when we get inside," Zoë replied, pulling into an empty spot, putting the car into park and setting the brake. "And put your hat on."

"Zoë..."

"Do it, Michelle, or else we'll have a riot on our hands," the younger woman said, watching as the blonde did as she was told. "And give me five bucks."

"Why?" Michelle asked, not liking the attitude the little brunette was copping at her.

"It's five bucks to get in, and if you open your mouth or even look at the guy at the door, he might recognize you and then all hell will break loose."

"Fine, here."

Digging through her small purse, Michelle was able to come up with four dollars cash and a buck in change.

"You're kidding, right? All of the money you make and possibly leech from Mark, and all you have is four dollars and some change?" Zoë asked, looking at the money.

"This is what I brought with me, the rest of my cash is in my bags. I don't travel with wads of money in my pocket like some of the others do."

"Does Mark do that?"

"No, he's not stupid, now are we going inside or not?"

The younger woman didn't say anything as she got out of her car, setting the alarm and leading Michelle across the parking lot to a large building set back from the rest of the school campus.

As they approached, the co-Women's champion saw people milling around outside talking, some in street clothes and others in...

"This is a wrestling show, isn't it?" She asked, looking at her company for the evening.

Zoë only smiled as she paid the man at the door and led the blonde into the building.

It wasn't like any little indy show she'd ever been to before.

The school's gym was huge, almost the size of a city community center, and in the middle of the building sat a regulation size ring, and announce table.

A stage, complete with a ramp and big screen, was set up near the back of the gym.

There where teenagers with cameras, both video and photo, moving around the ring side area, catching the action between a blonde woman and a red headed girl.

And the place was packed.

All of the seats on the floor ,except for two in the ring side area, where full as where the bleachers that had been pulled out from the walls and the balcony's surrounding the upper part of the gym.

"That's Amber Rose and EmmaLee," Zoë said, leading Michelle down the center aisle and to the third row of seats back from ring side.

"Which one's EmmaLee?" Michelle asked, watching the two young women in the ring, as they made their way to the two empty seats.

"The blonde. She's from Canada, where I don't know, she just showed up a month ago and started kickin' ass without takin' names. Why, do you know her?"

"No, but I think someone in the WWE has a niece, or a daughter, named EmmaLee. I've heard it before, but I can't remember who said it now."

"Oh, well, she's really nice when she's not trying to rip someone's hair out and Amber Rose is a sweet heart too. The first time I came to one of the shows, I was sick and she made sure I got a front row seat."

"That was nice, but who pays for all of this?" the older woman asked, looking around.

"Damian, his friend Joey H. EmmaLee and a mystery partner. Only Damian and Joey know who that is."

"Here is your winner, EmmaLee!"

Half of the audience cheered and started chanting the blondes name while the other half booed and jeered her as she left the ring, after spitting on the still down Amber Rose.

"This is what wrestling should be," Zoë said, smiling as she watched the ref help the red haired girl from the ring and the ring announcer, a young man with a mohawk wearing a suit and tie, entered the ring. "None of that "oh, be careful, kids might be watching" crap McMahon pulls now."

"It's a business move, Zoë, and kids tend to copy what their idols do," Michelle said, noting that where dozens, if not more, children in attendance, eyes bright and having the time of their lives.

"Kids wouldn't do dumb shit stuff like that if their parents sat down with them and watched the show, then told them it wasn't real, that Randy Orton didn't really kick Cody Rhodes in the head or that Kane didn't really try to set Rey Mysterio on fire."

"That never happened."

"I know it didn't, it's just an example I'm using," the younger woman said. "I mean, me and Damian have been watching wrestling our whole lives and you don't see us jumping off of roofs or trying to pile drive people, do you?"

Michelle didn't answer, her attention was on the ring announcer when he said,

"This next contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first..."

The lights went down and reddish orange ones came up as a guitar heavy metal/techno song kicked up.

"...from Charlotte, North Carolina...weighing in at two hundred and forty five pounds...he is the Demonoid Phenomenon..."

A tall young man wearing a black trench coat burst onto the stage, the audience going crazy as he ran from side of the stage to the other, getting the people worked up. "...Joseph Hardy!"

"Hardy? Is he..."

"No relation to those Hardys," Zoë replied, smiling as she watched the young man run down the ramp, giving people on either side high fives as he went before bounding into the ring and up onto the ropes, throwing up the devil horns.

"He reminds me of Edge, five or six years ago," Michelle said, watching the young man pace around the ring, getting the crowd worked up.

"How?" the younger woman asked, her eyes never leaving the stage.

"His energy, the way he gets the crowd worked up and on his side."

"It won't last for long, just you wait."

Joseph's music faded out as he took of his coat, handing it to one of the kids at ring side, turning to face the stage again as the lights went out completely.

The roar of the crowd sounded like thunder as an all too familiar gong sounded through the gym and dozens of tiny, flickering flames appeared, dotting the building from floor to ceiling.

C_ute, they've got someone who thinks they're the Undertaker_, Michelle thought, looking around as the lights faded from nothing to purple and fog drifted from the stage and down the ramp.

"And the challenger, from Houston, Texas..."

The lights on the stage illuminated it just enough for those close to the stage to see a dark figure standing there.

_And they're dressed up just like him! I wonder if Damian and his friends know they could be sued for that._

"Zoë," she said, leaning closer to the younger woman as the figure on the stage slowly made their way down the ramp.

"...weighing in at two hundred and seventy five pounds..."

In the ring, Joseph was pacing back and forth, watching his opponent make his way slowly and methodically to the ring.

"What?" the brunette asked, annoyed that she was being bothered with yet another question.

"Those guys know they could be sued for..." the words died as the lights came up and Michelle got a good look at the little wrestling troops "Undertaker" copy-cat, while Zoë only smiled.

"Damian!"

**A/N:** Well, now we know what Damian's night job is, but honestly, who didn't see that coming? Show of hands? Anyone see that little twist coming? If you did, let me know.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**_

**Chapter Eleven**

Michelle watched in shock as her step-son, dressed as his father (and that's where the father/son resemblance ended), stepped into the ring.

"He doesn't look like Mark, does he?" Zoë asked.

"What?" the older woman asked, looking at the little brunette at her side before looking at the ring again.

"Dami, he doesn't look like his dad."

"Oh, no, he doesn't, does he," Michelle said. "Why does he impersonate Mark when they look nothing a like?"

"To these people, it doesn't matter. For them, just the fact that Damian is the son of the Deadman makes them happy, no one here could afford to go to a WWE show, that's why Damian and Joey do this, for the fans who can't afford the good stuff," Zoë said, smiling as she watched her brother go through the whole ritual of removing his hat and coat. "As for Damian's looks, he got his height, eyes and hair from Mark, the build and looks, thank god, from Lydia's side."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, Michelle, but I don't think Mark is a good looking guy, my opinion, but then again the man was the only father I've known for twenty years, so it's just creepy for me to think of him as you do."

"So, how long has Damian been doing this?" the older woman asked, changing the subject, watching the two young men in the ring circling one another as the bell sounded.

"Four years," the younger woman said. "Now shut up and...kick his ass Damian!"

Shaking her head, Michelle turned her attention to the match going on.

Every move Damian made was almost a carbon copy of what Mark did, and from the look of determination on his face, she could tell the young man took his job seriously and had a reason for being the indy version of his father.

"Cheating! Cheating! He's cheating!" Zoë yelled, grabbing her arm and shaking her. "Do you see that? That ass clown is cheating! Ref, pay attention!"

In the ring, Joseph was trying to choke Damian with the second rope while the official was distracted by the sudden arrival of EmmaLee, who had climbed up onto the ring apron and was holding the man by the front of his shirt.

When he finally got her off of the apron and onto the floor, did the official turn around to see Joseph chocking Damian.

Half of the audience booed as the North Carolinian was pulled away from the ropes, leaving Damian slumped over the second rope , until his rival tried to pull him away from it.

He elbowed Joseph in the gut, causing the Demonoid Phenomenon to stumble back to the center of the ring.

In the ring, the two young men smirked at one another when they heard, clearly over everyone else,

"C'mon Damian! Kick that fat ass outta town!"

"I see Zoë 's here tonight," Joseph said, grunting slightly when Damian put him in a headlock and pulled his hair at the same time. "Sounds just as charmin' as ever."

"You know it, man," Damian said, "So, ya ready to lose?"

"No way in hell, buddy," the slighter man said, bracing himself and flipping the bigger man over his shoulder, slamming Damian to the canvas. "I'm winnin' this tonight."

As he went for the pin, something hit the side of his head and the bell sounded.

"Your winner, by disqualification, The Demonoid Phenomenon, Joseph Hardy!"

"Told ya I'd win, buddy," Joseph said. "Even if it meant having Zoë hit me with her water bottle. Again."

"And I've gotta retaliate," Damian said, grabbing the southerner around the throat as he sat up.

"Not..tonight...buddy," the brown eyed man said, smacking his foe on the back of the head, causing the other man to let him go. "Later."

Before Damian could do anything to him, Joseph bombed out of the ring and was joined by EmmaLee as he made his way up the ramp, smiling cheekily as he went.

Out in the audience, Zoë sank back down into her seat while Michelle watched Damian leave the ring.

"He looks pissed," she said.

"I know, I fucked up again," the younger woman said. "I don't really like Joey, and every time he goes against Damian, I get carried away and throw my bottle of water or soda at him, and Dami always loses. I've gotta go and talk to him, c'mon."

After edging their way through the crowd, Michelle let the younger woman take the lead and followed her to the back of the gym, where the locker rooms where.

"Sorry, ladies," a scrawny blonde kid said, blocking their path. "Crew and talent only."

"I'm Damian's sister, she's his step-mom," Zoë said. "We need to talk to him."

"Got any proof?"

"It's okay, Sammy," Amber Rose said, coming up behind the kid. "I know who she is."

The boy, Sammy, only nodded as he stepped aside, letting Zoë and Michelle past the barrier and into the back.

"Thanks, Amber," the little brunette said as they followed the red head to a small lobby area bustling with activity.

"Not a problem, kid, Damian should be back here in a minute."

"Okay, we don't mind waiting."

With a smile and nod, Amber disappeared into the women's locker room, leaving Zoë and Michelle to watch the wrestlers warming up, going through last minute prep, and crew members fixing lights or making sure the performers had water.

"I do not miss this," the blonde said, shaking her head. "It was more stressful then being at a big show is now."

"But it's more fun," the brunette said. "There's more of a family like feel to it, you know, a bond between everyone that's hard to break."

"Um, yeah, I never had that with anyone."

"No wonder you don't have many friends. It's a wonder Mark even thought of sleeping with you in the first place."

Michelle was going to retort to Zoë's comment, but a young man carrying a walkie-talkie came bursting through the curtains.

"He's pissed off, gang, don't talk to him," he said, looking around and shutting up a moment before Damian came through the curtain, looking like he was ready to kill someone.

His gaze fell on the two women watching him while everyone else looked else where.

"Hi, Damian," Zoë said, waving and smiling.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**_

**Chapter Twelve**

"What in the hell are you two doin' here?"

"Michelle wanted to see what your other job was," Zoë said, still smiling.

Damian looked at his step-mother.

"I told her I didn't want to come," the older woman said, holding her hands up. "She forced me too."

"And yer probably gonna run back and tell Dad what I'm doin', aren't ya?"

"I didn't say anything four years ago when you started this, and I won't say anything now," Zoë replied.

"I won't either, Damian," his step-mother said. "This is your thing. It's none of our business what you do."

"Whatever," he mumbled, then he turned all of his attention to his sister. "And you're not even supposed to be here Zoë Star."

"It wasn't Frankie at the door," she replied. "The new guy let me in. Sorry you lost. Again."

"Fifteen loses to Joey, Zoë, not good for my reputation," he said. "And he doesn't appreciate getting hit in the head with a bottle every time you see him."

"Damn straight I don't," Joey, wearing only a pair of shorts, said as he joined the group. "You really gotta stop doin' that, girl."

Then he saw Michelle. "Hey, you're Michelle McCool, aren't ya?"

"Sadly, she is," Damian said coldly. "She's the one who fucked up things between Dad and Sara."

"So supportive, Damian," his friend said, then he patted him on the back.. "Well, it was nice to meet ya, Michelle, Damian, I'll see ya tomorrow and Zoë, stay weird. Later."

The taller of the two only nodded as he watched his friend leave, noting that Michelle was looking at the tattoo on his friends back.

It was of Joey as a demon leaning over the body of another young man that looked similar to Joey himself.

When the North Carolinian was out of sight in the men's locker room did Damian look to his sister and step-mother again.

"Go and get cleaned up," Zoë said. "So we can get out of here. We'll meet up at your place and all sit down to talk."

"Dad's still at my place?' he asked.

"Yeah."

"Then I ain't goin' home 'til yer all gone."

"Damian, don't do this," his sister said, stepping aside as he walked past her and Michelle. "Act your age, man."

"Go home, Zoë. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," he said, disappearing into the men's locker room.

A second later, four young men came running out of the room, the door opening long enough for Damian to throw their bags out after them before slamming the door shut again.

"I think it's time to leave," Michelle said.

"Yeah," Zoë said, nodding in agreement. "Let's get out of here."

As she followed the younger brunette back towards the gym, Michelle looked back over her shoulder, an idea forming in her mind.

* * *

_"Son of a bitch!"_

Joey, standing in the showers, shook his head when he heard his friend yelling and the sound of breaking glass.

Grabbing his towel, he wrapped it around his waist and went back into the locker room, finding Damian standing in front of the mirror, a crater in its center with a spider web of cracks crawling out from it.

"Who're ya pissed at, buddy?" he asked.

"Go away."

"Oh, c'mon, Damian, you can talk to me."

The bigger man didn't say anything, he only grabbed his bag and headed into the showers.

"I'm not leavin' 'til you talk to me, man," Joey said, grabbing his own duffel bag and digging clean clothes from it. "Was it Zoë or yer step-mama bein' here that's got you upset?"

The answer he got was a boot flying towards him.

He stepped out of the way and it hit the lockers, falling harmlessly to the floor. "Violence doesn't solve anything, Lizard, and I'm sure the principal isn't gonna be happy about that mirror bein' broken. Now talk to me."

From the showers, he heard a dejected sigh.

"It's my step-mother," Damian's defeated voice drifted into the locker room.

"What about her, buddy? She seemed nice to me."

"You don't know her, man, she's an evil, conniving, manipulative woman who's out to alienate my own father from me!"

"Eh-yeah, whatever you say, Lizard."

"It's true!" Damian, towel around his waist, said coming out of the showers. "For the last three years that woman's been nothing but a thorn in my side!"

"Have you ever tried talkin' to her about how she treats ya?"

"Yes!" the bigger young man yelled, throwing his hands into the air and causing his towel to drop.

"Dude, please, I know we're friends but I don't wanna see that," Joey said, turning his back to his friend. "Cover it up."

"Sorry," Damian said, retrieving his towel and wrapping it around his waist once more. "But I'm just so frustrated with her. She pretends to like me when Dad's around, or other people, but once we're alone, she's nothing but nasty to me. I still can't believe that Zoë brought her here."

"Well, maybe the little weirdo was trying to show Michelle you're a good guy."

"Doubtful."

"Damian, you remember how mean and nasty my step-mother, Carly, was to me right?" Joey asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, now we get along great."

"That's because she's dead, Joey," Damian said flatly.

"I know, that's why I like her. May she rest in peace," Joey said, bowing his head for a moment and crossing himself before looking at his friend again.

Damian only shook his head and went back into the showers.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**_

_**A/N: This is going to be two parts. Here's part one and part two will be up shortly.**_

**Chapter Thirteen**

While Michelle and Zoë where off doing whatever it was they'd left to do, Mark had gone around his sons apartment and found every hidden bottle of liquor he could, dumping them out in the kitchen sink and lining the bottles up on the counter.

After an hour of looking, he now sat at the kitchen table staring at twelve empty bottles.

He'd found them all over the place.

Under the bed, the snake tanks, closets and for some reason, the dish washer had held three bottles of Jack.

He knew his son liked to have a drink now and then, but he never knew the problem was this bad.

_There's somethin' more then just Lydia bein' sick and Ally leavin' him that's got the boy upset_ he thought, still staring at the bottles, then he looked at his phone when it buzzed and saw it was Damian calling.

"You ready to grow up yet?" he asked, taking the call.

_"No, and get outta my house,"_ the young man replied.

"I'm not goin' anywhere until we've talked, Damian."

_"There's nothin' to talk about, Dad, so you better be gone when I get home."_

"From the time before you where born to now, your mother always said you got your stubborn streak from me, but I know for a fact you got it from her. She never wanted to talk about anything either," Mark said, "but you're a grow man, so if you don't wanna talk, we won't and I'll be gone when you get here."

_"Good. I'd hate to have my own father arrested for tresspassin',"_ the younger man said. _"And you better not have touched any of my stuff."_

"I didn't."

_"Dad..."_

"Damian, I didn't touch anything that belongs to you. The only thing I did was fix that book shelf Zoë knocked over."

_"That better be the only thing you touched,"_ Damian said, then his end of the line went silent.

Shaking his head, Mark closed his phone and sat back in his chair to wait.

* * *

"C'mon, man, come and have a drink with us," Joey said, gesturing to himself, EmmaLee and Amber Rose.

"Naw, I gotta work in the morning," Damian said, shaking his head.

"Dude, you own the place! It's not gonna hurt if you don't show up."

"Yeah, come with us, Damian," EmmaLee said. "Please?"

"No, I'm goin' home."

"Plleeaassee?" the little blonde said, blue eyes wide as she cuddled up to the young Texan.

"Don't, Emmie, it ain't gonna work," he said, trying to push her away but the young woman clung to him like a barnacle.

"Please come with us, Damian?" she asked again.

"Fine, but just for an hour, then I'm goin' home," he said.

"Alright," Joey said, smiling. "Let's get gone."

Twenty minutes later, they four where sitting around the North Carolinian's living room.

"So that blonde woman with Zoë was your step-mother, Michelle?" Amber Rose asked.

Damian grunted in reply.

"They don't get along," Joey said before he took a pull from his beer. "Do ya, Dami?"

"Fuck you, Hardy."

"You wish, Calaway, now tell'em about the day your old man told ya he was gettin' married."

"Why?"

"Because I like to hear the story, now tell it," Joey said.

"Fine," Damian said, sighing. "It was June of last year..."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**_

_**A/N: Okay, here's Damian's memory of when he found out about Mark and Michelle getting married. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter Fourteen**

_****Flash Back****_

_*Houston, Texas...Calaway/McCool residence*_

"So what's up that you just decide I needed to come for a visit?" Damian asked, wandering around the spacious garage and looking over his fathers collection of bikes.

"I think you need to sit down, Damian," Mark said, watching his son.

"Is it about Mama?" he asked, looking at his father. "Is there something wrong Joe didn't want me to know about?"

"No, but to you it might be the same thing," his father said, "just sit down and listen to what I have to say."

Without question, the younger man sat down on a lawn chair that was sitting against the wall.

"In three weeks, me and Michelle are gettin' married," Mark said.

"What?" Damian asked, sitting up. "I didn't quiet catch that, Dad."

"I said, I'm gettin' married. To Michelle. In three weeks."

It was then the wheels clicked into place in the young man's mind.

"Yer doin' what!" he yelled, jumping up and knocking the chair over.

"Boy, calm down. It's not the end of the world."

"Calm down! You want me to calm down when yer gonna marry a soul suckin' whore!"

Mark sighed as Damian started to pace the garage, gesturing wildly. "How could you do this, Dad?"

"Because I can, now are you gonna calm down?"

"I'll calm down when you tell me yer jokin' about marry that bitch and she's gone!"

"First, you better watch your mouth or I'll watch it for you and second, she's not goin' anywhere. You've had two years to get to know her, Dami."

"And for those two years I tried! But she called me the biggest mistake of your life and a waste of space!" Damian shouted.

"When did she do that?" his father asked, not wanting to believe his son but wanting to know when said event happened so he could ask his fiancée about it.

"Two weeks after yer divorce from Sara was finalized," Damian replied. "And ya'll decided to stop sneakin' around, after you introduced us. I tried to get to know her, I tried talkin' to her and said "Get away from me, I don't want anything to do with Mark's little secret." and I said I wasn't a secret, that everyone knew about me and she said "I don't care, you're the biggest mistake he's ever made in life and you're a waste of space, so get lost." then she walked away! The woman hates me and always has!"

"Damian, I'm gonna ask her about what you just told me, but she doesn't hate you," the elder Calaway said.

"Just keep tellin' yourself that, Dad, just keep tellin' yourself that and it might come true some day."

"Damian..."

"No, don't defend her to me anymore, Dad," Damian said, shaking his head. "I'm gonna pack up and head home."

"No, you're not," Mark said. "You've only been here for two days. You're not leavin' until Friday."

"It'd be better for everyone if I left."

"Gunner and the girls are going to be here shortly."

"Then tell'em I'm sorry I missed'em," the younger man said, walking away from his father and leaving the older man alone in the garage.

A few minutes later, Mark heard things breaking in the house.

Damian wasted no time in taking his anger out on his fathers innocent house.

"Stupid soul sucking bitch," he grumbled, pulling dishes and glasses from the cupboards and letting them hit the floor, some shattering while others bounced harmlessly on the floor before moving onto the living room. "Try to ruin my family will she? Well, I'll ruin somethin' that means a lot to her."

Twenty minutes later, he was still going and Michelle came home from her shopping trip to find a disaster area.

The living room was a mess.

The couch was over turned, the cushions torn apart and stuffing covering the floor, the matching arm chairs in the same state.

The TV was busted, the screen cracked and the entertainment center lying broken on top of what was left of the glass coffee table. Lamps and wall fixtures where broken and DVDs where scattered around the room, broken in half and one was embedded in the wall next to a hole.

"What in the hell happened in here?" she asked, looking at sixteen year old Gunner.

The boy looked at her like she'd asked him what 2+2 equaled.

"Damian happened," he replied.

"Damian did this?" she asked, not believing what the boy had just told her.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I dunno. All I know is Dad told me and the girls to leave Damian alone."

Michelle was going to say something, but a crash from upstairs interrupted her and she looked up towards the ceiling, but when nothing came crashing through it, she looked at the boy again.

"Where's your father?" she asked.

"Out back with Chasey and Gracie, he said he didn't want'em to see Lizard like this. He told me to clean up in here."

"Whatever," she said, walking past the teenager and through to the kitchen, crossing the short hallway and finding more broken glass from a shattered vase, the side board table broken, and stopped in her tracks.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," she said to no one in particular as she took in the broken dishes covering the floor, counters, and risking a look up, thankfully not the ceiling.

Hearing another crash from the upper floor of the house, Michelle detoured from going out the door to going up the stairs instead.

Making her way up the stairs, she found even more broken glass, pictures that had been hanging on the wall where now on the floor torn apart and when she reached the top of the stairs, she found more destroyed pictures and paintings along with the remains of the antique credenza, and the door to the master bedroom hanging open.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Michelle made her way to her room and looked inside before entering.

Like the rest of the house, the bed room was a total loss too.

The oak dresser that had taken three delivery men to move had been over turned, the drawers removed and broken, pieces of wood and clothes laying across the floor along with the little things that had been sitting on top of the dresser.

The bed was destroyed, the bedding and mattress shredded, the frame broken and the matching nightstands where gone, but the balcony doors where wide open so she had a good idea as to what Damian had done with them, the lamps that had been on the night stands where broken.

Her vanity table was over turned, the mirror broken, and the closet doors where standing wide open, clothes, shoes and accessories flying out of the (technically) second room.

"What in the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

"None of your business," he replied, continuing to throw things from the closet.

"It is my business since you've destroyed my house!"

"It ain't your house, it's my dad's, you're just livin' here."

"Listen, you little prick..."

Things stopped flying and the blonde found herself gazing into a pair of angry green eyes as the young man came out of the closet...

**YPresent Day...Y**

"See, I told ya he was gay" Joey said, grinning, but it was wiped from his face when Damian threw his water on him. "Dude, not cool."

"Then shut up and let me finish my story," Damian said. "Where was I?"

"Michelle just called you a prick," Amber Rose said.

"Ah, yes. The bedroom..."

_****Flash Back back****_

...and stalked towards her.

Michelle turned and ran from the room, not seeing Damian smirking as he went back to what he'd been doing when she'd shown up.

**YPresent Day...Y**

"And then I went home," Damian concluded his story.

"So your trashed the place and just left?" Amber Rose asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. I did dislocate my left middle finger after punching the wall though," he replied.

"What'd your dad do?" EmmaLee asked.

"Well, Michelle wanted me arrested for destruction of property but Dad talked her out of it, told her everything could be replaced."

"So it was like nothing happened?"

"Oh, no, we had words but he didn't do anything because Gunner and the girls where there, so I left with a death threat literally stapled to my helmet," Damian said.

"You've got one hell of a temper on ya, man," Amber Rose said.

"Oh, I was just mildly upset," the young Texan said. "Me trashin' the place was just a temper tantrum."

"I saw him put a guy throw a plate glass window once," Joey said. "Ya don't wanna piss Damian off. He'll kill ya."

EmmaLee and Amber Rose looked at their friend, who was smiling cheerfully like he always did, not wanting to believe the easy going young man could be so violent and destructive.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**_

**Chapter Fifteen**

It was two in the morning when Damian finally got home from Joey's place, and he was half asleep as he walked into his apartment.

_He left_, he thought, looking around the dark living room, noting that his father was indeed gone. _And I'm happy 'bout it!_

Dropping his bag to the right of the door, he shut and relocked it before heading for his room, taking his jacket off and dropping it onto the floor as he walked, his sneakers following.

He stopped long enough to put his wallet and keys on his dresser, sleepily making his way to his bed and putting his cell phone down on the night stand before collapsing, asleep as soon as he hit the mattress.

Being dead to the world meant Damian didn't feel himself being moved up onto his bed or covered with the blankets, nor did he register being watched, he just sighed and snuggled down into the blankets.

Mark stepped back from the bed, smiling slightly, as he watched his son sleeping.

The last time he'd put Damian to bed, the twenty three year old young man had been an eight year old boy, who had later declared that he didn't need his mama or daddy to tuck him anymore as he was a big boy. It had been a few weeks later that Mark found out from Lydia that their son thought that with Gunner, who had been two years old at the time, being a toddler and needing a little more attention, he was in the way, and decided he could look after himself when staying with them.

_And he still thinks he's in the way_, the older man thought, shaking his head, turning away from his sons bed and leaving the room, picking up the young man's shoes and jackets as he went, laying the coat over the back of one of the chairs in the living room and putting the sneakers next to it before letting himself out of the apartment and re-locking the door with the key Zoë had given him.

****9:00 am****

Damian snapped awake when the phone rang, looking around his room like he was lost.

When he realized where he was, he looked at the still ringing phone.

"Hold on, hold on," he said, grabbing it and taking the call. "Hello?"

_"Pack your bags, Lizard, we're going on a road trip!"_

"Zoë?" he asked.

_"Yeah, it's me, now hurry up and get down here to the shop 'cause we aren't gonna wait."_

"We? Who's we and why aren't they waiting?"

_"Albert and Marnie. They want us to go to Vegas with them. You in?"_ Zoë asked.

"Are you with Albert right now?"

_"Yeah."_

"Lemma talk to'em, Zoë."

_"Okay."_

There was a moments pause before his business partner was on the line.

_"Lizard, what's up man?"_

"Zoë said ya'll want us to go to Vegas. True?"

_"Hell yeah, man! We've decided that you're under a lot of stress and need to get outta town for some fun,"_ Albert replied._ "So pack your bags and get your ass down to the shop because as soon as you get here, we're leaving."_

"But what about our clients and appointments?" Damian asked.

_"I already called them and rescheduled all appointments,"_ the other man replied.

"How long are we going to be gone?"

_"A two weeks. We leave today, Wednesday and come back on a Wednesday, when you can go back to being a whiny bitch."_

Ignoring that comment, Damian thought the idea of going to Vegas over for a moment before saying,

"Alright, I'm in. If it means putting lots of distance between my old man and his harpy, I'll go."

_"Great! See you in half an hour,"_ Albert said, then his end of the line went quiet.

Sighing, Damian put the back on its charger and shook his head as he got out of bed to start getting things together for the trip.

Half an hour later, he walked into his shop to find Zoë waiting, not with Albert and Marnie, but Mark and Michelle.

"What in the hell are they doing here?" he asked, glaring at his father and step-mother. "And where's Al?"

"I'm not telling you where he is, you'll just hurt him," she replied. "And we're going with them!"

"Why?"

"Because we want you too, Damian," Mark replied. "So get in the car."

"And because Vince McMahon wants to see you," Michelle added.

"What?" the young man asked, looking at her.

"Vince McMahon wants to see you wrestle, Damian," she replied. "I called him last night and set up a meeting between you two, so he can see you in the ring and if he likes you, you're in. No strings attached. Straight up contract, baby."

The young man was silent, staring at the woman with a glazed look to his eyes.

"Damian, you alright?" his father asked.

"Uh-huh," the young man replied, then he fainted.

**A/N**: Thank you to everyone who is still reading and reviewing this fic, it means a lot and makes the writing process worth while!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family or the Calaways. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**

**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**

**The name, and song, "Demonoid Phenomenon" belongs to Rob Zombie, I'm just borrowing it.**

**Claimer: I do own Damian, his parlors, employees, wrestling buddies, Zoë , Elizabeth, Quinn, Lacey and Johnny**

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

"Damian, Damian, wake up," Zoë said, prodding her brother with her foot.

The young man groaned, eyes fluttering open.

"Wha happened?" he asked groggily, looking up at her.

"You fainted like a pre-teen girl at a Jonas brothers concert," she replied.

"I fainted?"

"Ya did."

"Why?"

"Michelle told you she set up a meeting for you with Vince McMahon and...plop!...down you went."

"Where's Dad?" Damian asked, sitting up and looking around.

"Putting yours stuff in the car and Michelle went to get a wet rag for your head."

"The last time I did that, fainted I mean, I was like fourteen years old and won tickets to a Slipknot concert off of the radio," he said, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing. "Did any one catch me?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"I'm a tiny little girl," Zoë replied. "Michelle was in shock and Dad did that "Jesus, what's wrong with him?" sigh he does when you hit the floor."

Shaking his head, and wincing again, the young man slowly stood up as his step-mother came through the black beads and his father came in the front door, the little bell jingling happily over the door.

"Are you alright?" Michelle asked when she saw her step-son standing up.

"I'll live," he replied, shooting a glare towards his father. "Just lucky I didn't crack my head on anything when I fell, but since I could be hurt, lemme get my stuff outta yer car so ya'll can leave."

"You're fine," Mark said. "Get in the car."

"Fine, but I'm ridin' shot-gun."

"He gets car sick if he has to ride the back," Zoë explained to Michelle before the older woman could protest.

"That's fine," the blonde stated, although she didn't like the idea of being stuck in the back seat for the six hour drive (who would, anyways) and forcing a smile for the young man watching her.

"Alright, if we're gonna go, we're gonna go," he said, looking at the trio. "Ya'll meet me outside. I gotta lock up and move my truck around back."

Mark only nodded as he left, Zoë following him with Michelle bringing up the rear.

_This trip ain't gonna turn out well_, he thought as he turned out the lights and set the alarms before locking the door._ Either Dad's gonna kill me or I'm gonna go nuts bein' stuck with that blonde home-wreaker._

****Two Hours Later...****

"Are we there yet?"

"Damian, if you ask that question one more time, I'll throw you outta the car, while it's moving," Mark stated, not looking at his son.

"Sorry, I'm just curious. We've been drivin' forever."

"Two hours, Dami," Zoë said from the back seat. "We've been driving for two hours, and where are we going anyways?"

"Wichita," Michelle replied.

"Wichita?" the young man exclaimed, turning in his seat to look at her. "You mean I'm stuck in this car with you for another four hours?"

"If you get a job with the WWE, you're gonna be stuck riding for more then four hours with people you don't like," his sister pointed out.

"Turn the car around, Dad. Turn it around right now and take me home."

"Somebody's nervous," the little brunette teased.

"Are you nervous about this meeting, Damian?" Michelle asked.

"No, I do this every freakin' day, have meetin's with Vince McMahon to get a shot at a contract without havin' to go through a trainin' camp."

"Damian..."

"Yes, I'm nervous."

"Wow, you are you grumpy today," Zoë said.

"You'd be grouchy too if you'd passed out and no one caught ya," Damian snapped.

"I think you're just mad 'cause you didn't get to stay home," she said.

"I had stuff to do, important and more interesting stuff to do," he replied.

"Like drink until you blacked out?"

"Shut the fuck up you little twit."

"Jack ass," Zoë snapped.

"Bitch," Damian hissed.

"Donkey fucking cock sucker!"

Michelle looked between the two, wondering if she'd made the right choice by talking her husband into bringing his kids with them.

"Damian Marcus, Zoë Star, both of ya shut the fuck up and act your god damn ages before I dump both of ya on the side of the road," Mark said, never taking his eyes from the road.

The two young adults shrank back into their seats, staring at their father, and silence settled over the car.

The rest of the drive was quiet, except for conversations between the two older adults, until they reached the IntrustBank Arena in Wichita.

"How long are we going to be here?" Zoë asked.

"We leave again right after the show," Michelle replied.

"For where?"

"I don't know, actually," the blonde replied as they got out of the car.

"Can we get this done and over with?" Damian asked.

"I told you it would be a bad idea to bring him with us," Mark said.

"Then take me home."

"No, you're staying to see Vince," Michelle said, looking at the young man.

"Whatever," Damian grumbled, following his father towards the building.

Zoë and Michelle watched the two men walk away.

"You think they're gonna kill each other by weeks end?" the blonde asked.

"Probably."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

_**A/N: Okay, here's were we tie into Bridges Rebuilt.**_

**Chapter Seventeen**

"This is so cool!" Zoë exclaimed, looking around as she tried to take in all of the hustle and bustle going on.

"It's okay," Damian said, shrugging.

He'd been to numerous WWE shows in his life, but for Zoë, it was her first time being at a show, much less back stage.

"LIZARD!"

The young Texan found himself face planting on the floor when someone jumped him from behind and he knew who it was.

"Get offa me, Quinn."

The tattooed blonde sat up, remaining on his friends back.

"Did ya come to see me or the show?" he asked.

"The show, now get offa me before I kill you," the bigger of the two growled.

"Jeez, you're grumpy," Quinn said, standing up.

"He's been like this all day long," Zoë said.

Quinn glanced at her, but didn't say anything and she frowned. "Hello to you too."

"Yeah, hey," he said absently. "So, how long are ya gonna be here?"

"Two weeks," Damian replied, standing up and rubbing his back.

"Sweet! I'd tell Lizzy you where here, but she's not here."

"She's not?"

"Nope. She's gone."

"Gone where?" both Calaways asked, afraid the young woman had been abducted again.

"St. Louis. Mr. Orton called her last week when we where at your mom's place, Lizard," Quinn replied. "He wanted her to go home after Mr. McMahon told'em what happened, so she went home and Matt went with her."

"Is she alright?" Damian asked, shifting his hold on his bag.

"As far as I know, I haven't talked to her since I left her and Matt at LAX last week."

"Who is that gorgeous man?" Zoë asked suddenly, looking past Quinn.

Thinking she was talking about Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase or one of the other young studs he liked to ogle, the blonde looked back to see not them, but another one of his little day dream lovers.

"There ya are, I've been lookin' all over fer ya. Johnny's lookin'...'ello."

"Hi," Zoë said, blushing and smiling shyly.

"Zoë Atherton meet Stephen Farrelly," Quinn said.

Before either could say something, Mark reached out and grabbed the hood of the young woman's sweat-shirt and pulled her back towards him.

"Zoë, go with Michelle," he said, gently pushing the young woman towards the older woman.

"Why?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Just do it."

"Fine, it was nice to meet you Stephen," she said, smiling again before following after Michelle.

"Same, Miss Atherton," Stephen said, watching her walk away, until Mark blocked his view by putting himself between the Irishman's gaze and Zoë as he followed the two women.

"Quinn, I'll catch ya later man," Damian said, looking Farrelly over before he turned and followed after his family.

"Who the hell is he and wha's his problem?" Stephen asked, looking at Quinn when the Calaway clan was gone.

"That was Damian, 'Taker's boy," the younger man replied. "Zoë is his adopted daughter and princess. They don't like it when men come sniffin' around that girl, she's twenty-two years old but to them, she's sixteen and no body is good enough for her and if you value your life, Stephen, stay away from her."

The big Irishman didn't say anything, he only nodded to make it look like he was listening to what Quinn had said, but in reality, he was thinking up a way to "accidentally" run into the young woman again.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Eighteen**

"He was cute," Zoë said as she walked between Mark and Damian, looking between them.

"No," they both said, not looking at her.

"Guys, c'mon, it wasn't like Stephen was hitting on her," Michelle said."

"Yeah, he just said hello."

"If I see him hangin' around you, I'm gonna kick his ass," Damian said, stopping in the middle of the hallway to look at his sister.

"Don't touch'em," Mark said, looking at his son. "I'll deal with'em if I see him around Zoë."

The young woman looked between the two men.

"Neither of you are going to do anything," she said. "He just said _"hello"_. That's all."

"I saw the way you where lookin' at him," the older man said. "And I want you to stay away from him."

"Why?"

"He's too old for you, that's why."

"How much older? Four or five years?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest as she stared the Deadman down.

"Try ten."

"Elizabeth is seeing someone fourteen years her senior," Michelle stated.

"What?" Zoë asked, looking at the blonde. "Elizabeth is dating someone older then her?"

"Yeah, Matt Hardy. He's, like, five years older then me and Elizabeth is dating him."

"Michelle, you aren't helpin' the situation," Mark said, looking at her.

"Sorry," she said, holding up one hand and taking a step back. "I'll let you do the talking."

"There's nothin' to talk about," he said, looking at Zoë again. "Me and Damian are going to see Vince, you're going to take Zoë with you and keep her with you."

"Whatever you say, baby," the blonde said, then she looked at the scowling little brunette. "C'mon, sweetie, I'll introduce you to the other girls."

"He's not going to get mad because I talked to them, is he?" she asked, looking up at Mark. "Or will I only be allowed to talk to you?"

"Zoë, just do what Dad said," Damian said, looking at his sister.

The young woman raked him with the evil eye before shifting the hold on her bag and following after Michelle.

"One of these days, she's gonna kill us," he said, looking at his father.

"You're probably right," the elder Calaway said, watching the two women walk away.

"We should really start lettin' her have boyfriends."

"She can see whoever she wants, just not anyone ten, or more, years older then her."

"Well, look who's callin' the kettle black," Damian said. "If I'm right, you're _fifteen_ years older then Michelle, Dad."

"Boy, don't start with me," Mark said, looking at his son. "Because I would hate to tell Vince you couldn't meet with him because you where dead."

"Aww, I love you too, Dad."

"Shut up and start walkin', Damian," his father said, pushing him down the hallway while the younger man smiled and shook his head.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Michelle asked, looking at Zoë.

"What was what?"

"Mark's reaction to you and Stephen saying hello to each other?"

"It was a guy, talking to me, that's what it was," the younger woman replied. "He's always been that way. I thought I would be safe by moving to St. Louis, but Damian turned out the same way. A guy looks at me, intentional or not, and if he's with me, he's all over the other guy like a bad rash."

The older woman was quiet as they continued to walk, thinking, while Zoë gawked at everything around her.

"Zoë, have you ever had a boyfriend?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"No, like I said, any guy who gets within visual range of me gets the death glare from both Mark and Damian," Zoë replied.

"I think it's time to change that," Michelle said, looking at the brunette.

"Are you offering to help me get a boyfriend?"

"If you want me too, if not, well then..."

"Help me, Michelle. I'm twenty two years old and never been kissed, I am serious about that, the last time I held hands with a guy, I was nineteen, Damian saw us, and punched the other guy in the face."

"Alright, but we'll have to keep this between ourselves," the older woman said. "But I think with my help, you'll bag yourself a nice one."

"I don't want just anyone."

"Who is it that you have your eye on?"

"I want that Irish cutie I met a few minutes ago."

"Then he yours, sweet thing."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

_**A/N: Sorry it's taking me so long to get updates done. I'm having some serious writers block involving Bridges Burned and You Think You Know Me (they will get updated, someday, I promise). On a lighter note, Damian has made his debut in biblicalforte's fic "No Turning Back", so go check it out. It's a great story and I highly recommend it (and not just because Lizard's in it now). It's just a really good, heart warming, story involving The Undertaker (and usually the words "heartwarming" and "Undertaker" don't go hand in hand, but this does. So read it! Do it now!).**_

**Chapter Nineteen**

"My god, look at you," Vince said, walking around Damian and looking the younger man over. "The last time I saw you, I don't think you were even five feet tall."

"Well, they do like to say Texas grows'em big, sir," the younger man replied, smiling a little.

"That they do, now, you know why you're here, right?"

"I do, Mr. McMahon. Michelle told me everything on the drive here."

"Good, good. Now, I'm not just going to out right give you a contract, Damian. I can't do that, it wouldn't be fair, just because you're Mark's son."

"Totally understood, sir."

McMahon nodded, sitting down behind the desk in his make shift office.

"Tonight, I'm going to have you in the shows opening dark match against Jay Reso," he said, looking Damian over again. "I want to see how you work in the ring, evaluate your skills. I'm going to have some of the older guys watching as well, put in their two cents, and if I like what I see, and what I hear, the contract is yours. Agreed?"

"Yes sir," Damian replied, nodding.

"Great, get changed and down the ring, Reso's waiting for you to go over the match."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome, and good luck tonight."

Damian nodded again, then left the room, not surprised to find his father was gone, meaning he had to find the dressing room on his own.

* * *

"Where's Damian?" Zoë asked when Mark walked into the room.

"Talkin' to Vince," the older man replied. "He'll find us when he's done."

"Are you sure?" Michelle asked. "Remember last Christmas when you two tried to shop together?"

"He got lost on his own."

"I'll go and look for him," the little brunette said, standing up and heading for the door, but as she walked past him, Mark reached out and grabbed the hood of her jacket again, pulling her to stop.

"No you don't," he said. "You're stayin' right here."

"But Daaaddd," she whined, looking back at him.

"No. I don't want you wanderin' around alone because I know what you're up too. You're gonna go and look for what's his name."

The young woman huffed out an agitated sigh.

"I am not going to look for Stephen, and how many more times do I have to say he only said hello? We just met," she said. "And on top of that, if I did see him and he saw me, Damian would magically appear and try to beat the living hell out of him."

A knock on the door cut off any protest or retort Mark might have had and Zoë wiggled her way free of his grasp, running to the door and pulling it open.

"Hi Quinn!" she said happily when she found him on the other side.

"Yeah, hey, you seen Lizard?" he asked.

"No, but you can help me look for him," she replied.

"Uhh..."

She grabbed the front of his Evan Bourne shirt and jerked him down so she was eye to eye with him.

"Get me the fuck out of here," she hissed. "I don't wanna be locked up in this room all night while they get to have all the fun."

"Okay," he said as she let him go.

"Great! Dad, Quinn's going to help me look for Damian," she said, looking back at Mark.

"Whatever, just stay with Odd-ball," the older man replied.

Zoë only nodded as she grabbed Quinn by the hand and drug him off down the hall way, already forming a plan to ditch her brothers friend and begin her hunt for a man.

* * *

Damian sighed as he walked down the hall.

He'd run into Lacey Harold, and her boyfriend Phil or Paul or Juan, whatever she'd said his name was, and told him that Mark's dressing room was usually towards the back of the arena, close to the communal locker room but separated from the other private rooms by four or five empty ones and had pointed him in the direction he'd needed to go, but now he was staring to think she'd pointed him the wrong way.

_Why does Dad need a dressin' room clear on the other side of the fuckin' building?_ he thought as he walked past a group of Divas, the young ladies looking him over as he went by.

He flashed them a smile and almost plowed down Jeff Hardy in the process.

"Hey, Lizard, what're you doin' here, man?" the older man asked.

"Tryin' to find my dad's dressin' room," Damian replied, still eyeing the Divas, but he looked at Jeff when they walked away. "Lacey said it was this way, but now I'm not sure I believe her. She was kinda, distracted."

"Yeah, Paul or PJ, whatever the hell his name is. Ever since Nutcrack showed up, she's been runnin' with them," the purple haired man replied. "Kinda has Adam and Jay bummed that she's chosin' the newbies over them and their endless supply of water balloons. I mean it's bad enough Adam spends his time now stalking his sister, but to have Lacey playin' with those guys, he's kinda lost it."

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend and since when does he have a sister? I don't recall ever meeting a younger Copeland in my adventures back stage growing up."

"Yeah, Adam's gotta girlfriend and his sister, Astrid, showed up while we where in LA gettin' Lizzy back," Jeff replied. "Jay said she grew up in Florida with her father while Adam lived with their mom. Different dads."

"Oh, I think I get it. I won't ask about him stalking her though, but I will ask this. Why's he mad about Lacey bein' with another guy?" Damian asked.

"Well, it's not a romantic thing between Adam, Jason and Lacey, they're buddies, plan and simple, but now that Lacey's got a boyfriend, she likes to do things with him too. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it. She's got a new toy, anyways, can you please help me find my old man's room?"

"Sure. You got a hot date you gotta get ready for?"

"No, I've gotta try out match tonight and I'm supposed to be in the ring with Jay right now to go over the match," the younger man replied.

"Awesome, congrats dude. I'll show ya where Mark's hidin'," Jeff said, then he started walking with Damian at his side.

"Ya know what, I don't have time to change, I've spent enough time just getting this far," the younger man said. "Just show me to the ring."

"Um, alright. So you're just gonna practice in your street clothes?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, so who got ya the try out? Your dad?" Jeff asked.

"Michelle did," Damian replied.

"What?" the older man asked, stopping in his tracks and watching Damian continue on his way.

"C'mon, Hardy, let's roll!" the younger man yelled. "I gotta get to the ring and I don't know where it is!"

**A/N 2:** Damian knows where the ring is, he's just flustered about his first big time match and the fact he couldn't find his father (he has issues with that. They might be explained later).


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Twenty**

"Alright, get lost," Zoë said, not looking at Quinn once they where out of hearing, and visual, range of Mark and Michelle's dressing room.

"I don't like you," the tall blonde said, glaring at the little woman.

"Feelings mutual, now go away before Stephen sees us and thinks we're dating."

"First, eww. Girls are gross, and second, why does it bother you that Irish Cream might think we're...eck...dating?"

Zoë glared up at him, and it clicked in his brain. "Ohhh. You've gotta crush on'em, don't ya?"

"Don't you have men to seduce then rob in a bathroom or something?" she asked.

"My boyfriend wouldn't approve of that," he replied. "And I need to talk to Damian."

"And I don't know where he is, so go and look for him by yourself. I've got me a man to find," she said, walking away and leaving Quinn to stare at her.

"I'll tell Mark what you're up too," he said.

Zoë froze where she stood, then turned around to look at the smirking blonde.

"You wouldn't dare," she said.

"Help me find Lizard and I won't say a word to Mark," he said.

"Fine, he was talking to Mr. McMahon, that's all I know," she said. "He might be done and wandering around trying to find the dressing room."

"Thank you, was that so hard?"

"I still don't like you, and you're not going to tell are you?" she asked.

"Your secret is safe with me," he said. "So have fun with Mr. SPF90."

Zoë watched him go, not seeing the smirk on his face, before she turned and continued on her hunt.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late!' Damian called as he jogged down the ramp.

In the ring, Jason "Christian" Reso smiled as he watched the younger man.

"Jesus, I think you're bigger then your old man," he said, as Damian slid into the ring. "I mean the last time I saw you, you where hiding under a table in catering just to piss your dad off."

"I can't do that anymore," Damian replied.

"Too old?"

"Too big. I don't fit anymore."

Jason couldn't help but laugh at the comment, but then the moment passed and he became all business.

"Alright, tonight's your big night and I want to make sure the match goes smoothly," he said. "So just listen and pay attention because I don't want my ass kicked if you get hurt."

"Okay...wait, what?" Damian asked, not sure he'd heard the older man's words correctly. "Did you say if I get hurt, you'll get your ass kicked?"

"Yeah."

"God," he groaned, putting his hands over his face. "Twenty three years old and he's still treating me like I'm three."

"Hey, if I had a kid entering the business, I'd be worried too," Jason said.

"Dude, I've been wrestling for four years, I've had teeth knocked out, my nose broken, stitches, staples, pulled muscles, you name, I've probably had it happen!"

"Damian, it's a parent thing, so just ignore it and pretend to be flattered that he's showing that he cares about you," the older man said, then he smiled. "Now, let's to get work so you can get that contract."

* * *

Zoë sat at a table in catering, watching and waiting.

She hadn't had any luck finding the big Irishman while wandering around, she hadn't even seen him, so she decided to sit and wait.

Looking at her cell phone when it rang, she saw it was Mark calling her and ignored it, returning her attention to people watching.

Luckily, she didn't have to wait long.

**A/N:** If this chapter sucks, I'm sorry, I know it does. I've been trying for the last couple of weeks to figure it out and this is what I came up with.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Twenty One**

"One tiny piece of advice for tonight," Jason said as he and Damian walked down the hallway.

"What?" the younger man asked.

"Don't hit me in the face again, and if you do, do it with an open hand. You've gotta remember that."

"Sorry, I kept forgettin' that. In my little promotion, we don't have stupid rules like only opened handed slaps. In my company, you bring it or get the hell outta there."

"Sounds like fun."

"It is. Every Friday night we...that son of a bitch."

"What?" Jason asked, looking at the young man.

Damian was staring at something, or someone, down the hallway.

Following the evil gaze, he saw Stephen Farrelly talking to a very petite brunette woman.

The younger man started down the hallway, moving like a big jungle cat stalking prey.

"Hey, what's going on?" Lacey Harold asked, walking up to her friend.

"I don't know. Damian saw those two and went weirdo on me," the Canadian wrestler replied, watching as Damian grabbed the big Irishman and jerked him away from the young woman.

"Hey, that's Zoë."

"Who?"

"Zoë. She's Damian's sister, well foster sister. I wonder why she's here."

"I dunno, but it looks like he doesn't want Stephen around her."

Lacey snorted.

"That's nothing new," she said. "Zoë's twenty two and never had a boyfriend. Ever."

_"DAMIAN! GET OFF OF HIM!"_

"And that hasn't changed either," the little woman said, watching her friend jump the older man from behind.

Damian was hanging off of Stephen's back, trying to choke the older man out.

While he was a few inches taller then the Irishman, Stephen had the upper hand.

He wasn't seeing red and was calmly handling the situation.

Reaching back, he grabbed Damian by the collar of his shirt and flipped the younger man over his shoulder and to the floor.

"What in the hell is wrong with you, Damian Marcus?" Zoë asked, glaring down at her brother.

"Get away from my sister," he snapped, glaring at Stephen and ignoring her question.

"She's a grown woman, fella, an' all I was doin' was tellin'er how ta get ta caterin'," the older man said, stepping away from Damian.

The young Texan sat up, ignoring his sisters offer of help as he stood, but she couldn't ignore the glare he was giving her.

"Dad told you to stay away from him!" he snapped, pointing at the Irishman.

"And I don't care! I'm twenty two years old, Damian! I've never had a boyfriend because you and Mark are always scarring them away!" Zoë yelled, shoving her brother back a step.

"Yeah, to protect you!"

"This is good," Lacey said, elbowing Jason in the side. "Even better then a soap opera."

"Even those are stupid," he said, shaking his head, but he couldn't seem to make himself walk away from the spectacle going on before him.

"You guys are "protecting" me from what, Damian? Falling in love? Finally growing up?"

"I..I..he...Dad...stuff!" the young man yelled, throwing his hands into the air. "That's what we're protectin' ya from!"

"Stuff?" Zoë asked. "What type of "stuff" are you protecting me from?"

"Just...stuff! And when I tell Dad that you're running around with Whiteout here, he's gonna freak."

"Well, you can give him a message for me then," the young woman said.

"Oh, what, that you're gonna run away? You say that every time, Zoë and you always come back," her brother said.

"No, you can tell him you saw this," she replied, then she turned to Stephen, grabbed the front of his shirt, jerked him down so he was eye to eye with her and kissed him.

The sound Damian made sounded part human, part animal as he watched his sister and the Irishman before he tore them apart, slinging Zoë over his shoulder and running off down the hallway, leaving one stunned Irishman, one hysterically laughing Missourian, and one Canadian shaking his head at what he had just witnessed.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"Put me down, Damian!"

"Shut up," he snapped as he carried his sister down the hall, ignoring the stares they where getting. "Dad is gonna have kittens when he hears..."

_"DAMIAN MARCUS! ZOË STAR!"_

"...about this. God, Lacey must've told him! I'm dead, Zoë! Dead for what you did!"

"Good," she hissed, grabbing his hair and pulling on it.

He yelped in pain and almost dropped her, but the young woman kept a tight hold on her brothers hair.

"Let go of my hair, you little worm!" he yelled.

"Then you tell Dad that I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Never!"

"Then I ain't lettin' go, you horse fucker!" she yelled.

The two tussled in the hallway, uncaring of those watching them.

Damian was trying to get Zoë to let his hair go and she was trying to rip it out by its roots, until they where yanked apart.

"Son of a fucking bitch!" the young man howled, hands going to the back of his head.

"Shut up," Mark snapped, putting Zoë down and noticing she had a wad of her brothers hair clenched tightly in her left hand. "Get your asses to the dressin' room."

Neither of the young adults moved, they where too busy glaring at each other. "NOW!"

At that bellowed order, the two took off running while Mark followed a little more calmly, letting those that had witnessed the event know that if they talked, they'd have to answer to him about it.

****Fifteen Minutes Later****

"I thought I told you to stay away from Stephen?"

"You did."

"And why didn't you?"

"I was looking for catering and he was telling me where it was," Zoë said, not looking up at Mark, who was standing over her.

"So that's why you tried to suck his face off?" Damian asked from where he sat against the wall, bringing his fathers attention to him.

"What?" Mark asked, looking at the young woman again.

"Yeah, I told her she had to get away from Stephen and instead, she tried to suck his face off. I mean the guy looks like a candy cane, but that doesn't mean he is one."

"I'm gonna find someone to take you home."

"What?" the young woman asked, looking up, eyes wide.

"I said I'm findin' someone to send you home," her father replied. "I can't trust you to do what I tell you to do."

"I'm twenty fucking two years old, Mark! I don't have to do what you tell me anymore!" she exclaimed, jumping up. "If I want to see Stephen, I will!"

"Like hell you will, young lady," the older man said. "As long as you're with me, you do as I say."

"When I was ten years old! I'm not a little girl anymore! When are you going to understand that I'm not Chasey or Gracie's ages anymore? I don't need my daddy telling me what to do and who to see, Mark."

"Zoë ..." he started to say, but she held up one hand.

"No, I'm going to see Stephen whether you like it or not," she said. "I want a boyfriend and I think he might be the one, now if he breaks my heart, then you can do something about it, but until then, leave me the fuck alone."

Before either of the men in the room could say anything, Zoë stormed out, the door slamming behind her.

"That went well."

"Damian?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Shut the hell up."

**A/N:** Sorry it's been taking me a while to get this updated. I've been sick, working, and working on Bridges Extended. Anyways, Damian's debut dark match is up next and Michelle helps Zoe with her new, budding relationship with Sheamus.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Just remember everything we did and you'll do fine," Jason said, patting Damian on the shoulder. "And if you fuck up, well, we'll just chalk it up to nerves."

"Uh-huh."

Frowning, the older man almost got into the younger man's face.

"You alright?" he asked.

Damian looked at Jason.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinkin'," he replied.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's do this."

"Okay, if you're sure."

Damian nodded and Jason looked at the PA who was standing off to one side.

The younger man nodded and said something into his little walkie-talkie.

"Good luck, guys," he said when Jason's music kicked up.

"Thanks," the veteran Canadian wrestler said, moving over to the curtain, waiting.

_"This next contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada...!"_

Damian watched as Jason stepped through the curtain. _"Weighing in at two hundred and twenty seven pounds...Christian!"_

_You can do this_, Damian thought. _There's no need to be nervous. It's like being back home, just a little bit bigger._

_"And the challenger...!"_

"That's you, kid," the PA said, bringing the younger man from his thoughts as his new music kicked in.

_"...From Houston, Texas..."_

Taking a deep breath, he walked through the curtain. _"Weighing in at two hundred and seventy five pounds...Damian!"_

For a moment, he stood on the stage, unable to believe the reaction he was getting.

He'd thought the people wouldn't be as responsive since they didn't know who he was but they where cheering for him like he was one of the top dogs.

_Must be 'cause I kinda look like Dad_, he thought as he made his way down the ramp and to the ring, eyes focused on Christian the entire time. All _I've gotta do is beat Jason, like we practiced. It won't be that hard._

Once he was in the Squared Circle, he stood facing his opponent, the ring veteran watching him in return as he pulled his shirt off, tossing it towards the crowd as the bell sounded.

* * *

"'Chelle, who's that in the ring with Reso?"

Looking to her left, Michelle found her partner in crime, Layla, walking towards her.

"That's Damian, Mark's boy," she replied, looking at the TV again in time to see her step-son get Christian with a head spinning clothes line.

"Oh! He's the one who put the cartons of rotten eggs in your car, right?"

"Um, yeah, that's him."

"Well, he's a big boy, isn't he?" the little British woman asked.

"Gets it from his father, and right now I'm hoping Mark's not watching this," the tall blonde replied.

"Why?"

"Because Damian's doing a sucky job," Michelle said, watching as her step-son was drop kicked by the older man. "When I saw him wrestling in St. Louis, he was great, but now...now he's doing terrible."

"He's probably just nervous," Layla said. "It is his first time against someone of Jason's caliber, right?"

"Yeah, and I hope he doesn't fuck up. I pulled a lot of strings to get him this shot."

"Well, it's still early, I'm sure he'll turn things around and get the win."

"I hope you're right, Layla. I seriously hope you're right."

* * *

"Do you think he's going to be embarrassed if Damian loses?" Lacey asked as she and Quinn stood watching Mark.

"I don't know, he might already be," the young man replied. "I mean, Damian's getting his ass handed to him by Jason."

"I see that," Lacey said, looking at the monitor.

Christian had Damian down across the second rope and was standing on the younger man's back. "I've never been a fan of that move."

"Neither have I," Quinn said, "but it works."

"Yeah, it...oh...ouch," Lacey said, wincing when Christian, after getting off of Damian's back, kicked the younger man in the ribs. "He's doing terrible out there."

"Shhh," her friend hissed, both looking at Mark when the older man looked back at them. "Don't make the situation worse."

"Sorry."

The two stood in silence for the rest of the match, watching as Damian tried to counter Christian's attacks only to be shot down and eventually taken out by The Kill Switch.

"I feel so sorry for him right now," Lacey said, shaking her head as she watched her friend roll her other friend over onto his back for the pin.

_"Here is your winner...Christian!"_

The two younger adults looked at Mark when he cursed, then walked away, headed towards the stage.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Lacey asked.

"Get Damian," Quinn replied, looking at the TV again.

The arena had gone dark, the gong sounding and whipping the crowd into a frenzy, but when the lights came up, Christian was down, Damian was gone and Scott Armstrong was looking around in confusion.

**A/N:** Alright an update! Woo, yeah! Finally! Okay, I'm calm now, we're good. Now, next Damian tries to explain to his father why he lost his match and learns if he gets his contract or not.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid**_

**Chapter Twenty Four**

"What in the hell was that out there?" Mark asked once he had Damian back stage.

"I don't know, it's like I totally blanked on what I was supposed to do," the younger man replied, looking at his father wide eyed. "It's like every move we practiced went...**POOF!**...right outta my mind!"

"You could've been hurt out there."

"I know, Dad, I know, but like I said, it's like I forgot everything I was supposed to be doin' out there," Damian said. "I was thinkin' about somethin' else."

"What could've you been thinkin' about out there that had you so distracted that you could've been seriously hurt?" Mark asked.

"Zoë and her Marshmallow Puff, Dad. I don't like'em bein' together."

"I don't either, but there's nothin' we can do about it, Dami and I don't want you worryin' about your sister when you're out there in that ring. The last thing I want to see is you breakin' your neck or somethin' worse happening."

"I'm sorry, Dad, but he's just not good enough for her on top of being way too old for her."

"I know, but like I said, there's nothing we can do. She's a grown woman."

Damian stood there staring at his father before he asked,

"Did you even talk to her, Dad?"

"Nope."

"Um, why not?"

"Because there's nothing I can do to keep her away from what's his name."

"There is somethin' you can do, Dad. Send her home like ya said you would!" the young man exclaimed.

"Yeah!"

The Calaways both looked down the hall to see Quinn standing there. "Hi!"

"Can I help you, Quinn?" Damian asked.

"No, just throwing in my two cents," the younger man replied as he walked away.

"Alrighty then, never a dull moment with him around, anyways, I'm gonna go and get cleaned up then look for Zoë."

"Damian, leave her alone," Mark said.

"I'm not gonna harass her and what's his name. I just want to see if she's having a good time."

Not quite believing his son, the elder Calaway only nodded as he watched the younger man walk away.

"Dressin' rooms the other way, son," he called when he realized Damian was going the wrong way.

"I know!" the younger man yelled back, but he kept walking in the opposite direction instead of turning around.

* * *

"Who's that with Irish Cream?" Johnny Brooks asked, looking at his brother.

"I dunno," Phil replied, "but she's cute. Go and talk to her."

"You know I like boys, Phillip."

"Sadly, now go and talk to her," the elder Brooks replied, pushing his brother towards the table Stephen and the mystery girl sat at.

_"PHIL! STOP MOLESTING JOHNNY!"_

Everyone in catering turned to look at Quinn as he walked into the room, headed right towards the Brooks brothers.

"Hey, baby," Johnny, unfazed by his boyfriends shouted comment, said, smiling at the younger blonde.

"Hi," he replied. "What's up?"

"We're just trying to figure out who that girl with Farrelly is," Phil replied.

"That's Damian's sister, Zoë."

"Who's Damian?" both brothers asked.

"That's Damian," Quinn said, looking back when someone else entered catering.

Johnny and Phil followed his gaze to see a tall, very tattooed, young man with long dark hair walking across the room to where his sister and Stephen sat, grabbing up Matt "Evan Bourne" Korklan's soda in the process and dumping it over Stephen's head before turning around and running.

"DAMIAN!" Zoë shrieked, jumping up and running after her brother, leaving a stunned and confused Stephen behind.

"That was mature," Johnny said, shaking his head.

"It's better then what he was thinking of doing to him," Quinn replied.

"What do you think he wanted to do?" Phil asked.

"You don't wanna know," the younger man replied before he walked away towards the food tables, zeroing in on a tray full of shrimp, leaving his lover and Phil to think about what he'd said.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

**Chapter Twenty Five**

_**One Week Later...Houston, TX 12:00 pm**_

"Drop me off at Wizard's," Damian said, looking at his father.

"Why?" Zoë asked before Mark could.

After their little spat in Kansas City (which resulted in the young woman giving Damian a black eye and biting referee Chad Patton when he tried to help Mark break up the fight), the two where on semi-civil terms again.

"I wanna say hi and check on things, then I'll head out to the house and meet up with ya'll there."

"Who's Wizard?" Michelle asked.

"My cousin, Graham. I don't think Dad wouldn't tell you about him," Damian replied. "His last name is Grey, and he likes the Lord of The Ring Movies, so we started calling him Wizard back in high school. Then before I moved to St. Louis, we opened a tattoo and piercing parlor here in Houston."

"Wizard's And Lizard's Piercing and Tattoos," Zoë said. "I wanna go with you, Dami."

"You only want to go because you're thinkin' you'll get a free tattoo."

"I might. Graham's always spoiled me, you know that."

"He's not gonna let Wendell ink you for free," her brother said.

"Free piercing then," the young woman said as Mark pulled the car up in front of a building that looked just like Damian's shop in St. Louis, the only difference being the sign over the door.

In bright green letters it read,

_"WIZARD'S AND LIZARD'S PIERCING AND TATTOOS."_

"Ya'll should come in, say hi," Damian said, looking between his father and step-mother while Zoë bailed out of the car and ran towards the shop, hitting the door and bouncing to the ground as her brother rolled down his window. "Pull the door open, Zoë."

"Go fuck a baboon," she snapped as she stood up and pulled open the door, disappearing inside.

"It's been awhile since I've been in," the young man said as he got out of the car and headed into the shop, not waiting for Mark and Michelle to join him.

"Lizard! Thank god you're here!"

Looking to his left, he found his cousin standing behind the counter.

Graham "Wizard" Gray was a slightly built man with spiked red hair and bright blue eyes that peered out from behind blaze orange framed glasses, but not a single tattoo or piercing marked his body.

"Is everything alright, man?" Damian asked.

"No! Lily called in sick, Wendell's on lunch and we've got people waiting for ink! Get gloved up and gunned up, man, I need you!"

Without any hesitation, Damian looked at the people sitting on the couch that graced the waiting room.

"Who's first?" he asked.

"I am," a pretty blonde with blue streaks in her hair said, standing up and flashing the young man a very pretty smile.

"Right this way, miss," he said, leading her towards the back of the shop.

"Man whore," Graham said, shaking his head, then he looked at Zoë. "I need you to watch the counter."

"Got'cha," she said as the bell jingled and Mark walked in with Michelle, the people in the waiting room staring at the two.

"Uncle Mark, I'd love to talk but I'm backed up."

"Don't worry about it, you know where I'm at," the older man said. "Come on out later if you can."

His nephew only nodded as he led a client into the piercing room. "Zoë, where's Damian?"

"Working."

"Tell'em we're going home and we'll see you guys out there whenever you get done here."

"Cool," she said, then she turned her attention to one of the young men sitting on the sofa when he asked her a question as the two older adults left the shop.

**Two Hours Later...2:00 pm**

"We done?" Damian asked.

"Nope, you've got one more," Graham replied as he watched his cousin clean up his station.

"Who or what is it?"

"Some work for Shannon Delber."

"Fuck, not her. She eye rapes me, man. Can't Wendell take her?"

"No. He's still working on the twelve thirty. Anyways Shannon will be in and out, all you gotta do is ink her dogs name across her right shoulder and that's it."

"But how does she want it done, Wizard?" Damian asked.

"Like this, Lizard," Graham replied, handing the taller man a piece of paper with the name _"Munchers"_ written across it in a flowing script.

"Nice and easy, straight black."

"Fine."

"Zoë! Bring'er in!" Graham yelled.

Shaking his head, Damian started to get set up for his final client.

**A/N**: Next chapter, Damian and Zoë get the surprise of their lives!


	26. Chapter 26

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Twenty Six**

"It looks great!"

"Glad you like it," Damian said, forcing himself to smile as he watched the black haired woman checking out her new tattoo in the mirror. "Zoë 'll get ya squared away up front."

"How long are you going to be in town, Damian?" the woman asked, looking at him.

"Just for tonight," he lied. "I'm rollin' out tomorrow mornin."

"Well, maybe we could hook up and I can show you a good time."

"My girlfriend wouldn't appreciate that, Shannon."

Again, a lie. He had no girlfriend and still didn't know why she'd left him.

"Oh, well, maybe next time," she said, then she picked up her purse and waltzed out of the room.

When she was gone, he sighed and slumped down onto his stool, head hung.

"You alright, Lizard?" Graham asked, walking into the room.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just glad she's gone," he replied, standing up and turning to the table the tattoo gun sat on. "As soon as I'm done cleanin' up here, I'm goin' home. Where's my bike?"

"Out back in the shop where you left it," his cousin replied. "Zoë can borrow one of Lily's helmets."

"Thanks, hey, I'm plannin' on takin' everyone out for dinner tonight. You should come with us, Wizard."

The older man shook his head.

"Thanks but no. I'm gonna go and check on Lily, see how she's doin'," he replied. "I'll come out tomorrow."

"I'll let Dad know, he said the girls keep askin' when you're gonna back out to play with'em."

"Tell'em I'll be there tomorrow for sure."

"I will."

"Hey, you done yet?" Zoë asked, appearing behind Graham.

"Almost," Damian said as he wiped down the chair. "You call Dad?"

"Yeah, he said "whatever and be careful," she replied. "I think he was distracted. I could hear the girls in the back ground. I don't think he told them we're with him and Michelle."

Looking at his sister, Damian smiled.

"Well then, we'll just have to surprise them. Won't we?"

**Half An Hour Later...Calaway Residence**

Eighteen year old Gunner Calaway looked up from the car he was working on when he heard a familiar sound.

It was a sound he knew well.

It was the sound of a well kept motorcycle.

_Dad's home_, he thought. _So that must mean... _

Dropping the ratchet he'd been holding, he ran into the house yelling,

"DAMIAN'S HERE!"

From the living room he heard twin shrieks of joy as his little sisters came running into the kitchen and out into the garage, just as excited as he was to see their big brother.

Damian and Zoë hadn't even gotten off of the bike before they heard twin shrieks of delight and saw two little girls come running out of the garage followed by a dark haired teenage boy, but it was the two kids they didn't recognize who held their attention.

A boy around Gunners age was sitting on the garage floor in front of car with it's hood up, and a girl with sandy blonde hair was sitting in a chair near the back wall, a note book or sketch pad in her hands, both watching them.

"Dami! Dami!" the little girls shouted as they mobbed their brother, bringing his attention from the two strangers to them, both squealing in delight when he picked them both up and slung them over his shoulders.

"Hi Zoë!" the oldest of the two said, waving excitedly at the older woman when she saw her big sister.

"Hey, Honey," she said, taking the little girl from Damian.

"God, you two are getting so big," he said, settling his littlest sister on his left hip and looking her over. "You're what? Ten now?"

Gracie giggled and shook her head. "Eleven?"

"No. I'm six!" she exclaimed. "An' Chasey's nine."

"Really? I coulda sworn you two where older then that," her brother said, then he flipped her upside down, causing her to shriek.

"DAMI!" she screamed, giggling when he jiggled her a little.

"Dude, put her down before Dad kills himself coming out here," the young man said.

"He'll be fine," Damian said, gently lowering his giggling sister to the grass. "Right, brat?"

"Yeah," she chirped, laying on the ground staring up at her big brothers. "Daddy'll be fine, Gunner."

"You two always gang up on me," Gunner said, shaking his head as he stepped forward to hug his big brother before moving onto Zoë.

"Who're they?" she asked, gesturing towards the kids watching them.

"Autumn and Thunder," he replied. "Fosters Dad and Michelle took in."

"When did they start takin' foster kids?" Damian asked, absently lifting Gracie off of the ground when she jumped up and grabbed his hands, letting the little girl dangle a few inches off the ground.

"About six months ago," the younger man replied. "I think."

"Their Mommy and Daddy got in trouble and can't take care of'em anymore," Gracie said.

"So Daddy and Michelle let them live here," Chasey added as Zoë put her down, then she ran back to the garage where the younger teenagers stood, grabbing both by a hand and dragging them over to where Damian and Zoë stood.

"This is Damian," she pointed to her big brother, who was watching the two teens from behind his shades as they looked him over before looking to the little woman at his side when Chasey pointed at her. "And that's Zoë. She's not really our sister, but she's been around forever."

"I'll remember that when I'm telling someone who you are, you little brat," Zoë said, but she was smiling as she reached out and ruffled the little girls hair.

"Stop it," she said, glaring at her sister, then she looked at the two teenagers. "This is Autumn," she pointed at the girl. "And her big brother Thunder."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Zoë said, smiling as she stepped around Damian but instead of shaking the younger girls outstretched hand, she hugged her then moved over and hugged the boy.

"Who stays with'em when Dad and Michelle aren't here?" he asked, not saying anything to the kids, looking at Gunner.

"Mrs. Juarez," he replied. "Who by the way made you some peach empanadas."

"Excuse me," the older man said, "Autumn, Ted, it was nice to meet you."

"It's Thunder," the boy said, glaring up at Damian.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Don't mind him, sweetie," Zoë said, watching as her brother headed for the house. "His first love is his snakes, the second is food. Once he's' eaten and is in a comatose state, he'll be more approachable."

"He looks like an ass to me," Thunder said, watching as Damian disappeared into the house.

"Thunder Cloud, shut up," the girl, Autumn, hissed as she smacked him across the stomach. "They're Mark and Michelle's kids. We've gotta be nice to them or we're out of here."

"What?" Zoë asked, looking at the girl.

"Nothing," she said, quickly clamming up and looking at the ground.

"Honey, I was in your shoes twenty years ago, so I know what you're going through. You can tell me what' s wrong."

"Yeah right. You don't know what we've been through," the boy said, raking Zoë with a disdainful look. "You look you've lived the good life for a long time."

"Dude, you better watch your mouth..." Gunner said, taking a step towards the younger boy but his sister got in the way.

"Gunner, take the girls inside, and I want you two," she looked between Gracie and Chasey. "To tell Dami to share those empanadas with you or you'll tell Dad. Got it?"

They nodded and let their brother lead them towards the house, leaving Zoë alone with the two teenagers.

"Autumn, sweetie, go with them. If you're living here, then you're a part of this family too, so run along and steal some of those sweet treats for the both us. I want to talk to your brother."

"Um, alright," Autumn said, then she turned and started walking towards the house, but when she reached the front door, she didn't go inside, instead she stood watching her brother and Zoë.

Ignoring the girl, Zoë turned her full attention to Thunder, reaching up and grabbing him by the front of his shirt, jerking him down so he was eye to eye with her.

"You listen here, you little fucker, I might not be Mark's by blood but you will show me respect like you show it to him and Michelle. Same goes for Damian. When they're gone and he's here, he's the boss. Not Mrs. Juarez, not Gunner, not you. Damian. It's the same deal when I'm around. Got it?"

The boy nodded. "Good. Now get your ass in the house and tell Damian your sorry for snapping at him when he called you by the wrong name, and he might not pop you upside the head."

Without any prompt, Thunder turned and walked towards the house with Zoë following him.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

"Zoë said you've gotta share those with us," Chasey said, staring up at her brother with big green eyes.

"No I don't. They're mine," Damian said, staring down at the two little girls who where staring at him.

"We'll tell Dad you're not sharing."

"I don't care. I'll have'em all gone before you get him back here."

"Oh yeah?" Chasey asked, then both she and Gracie took deep breaths.

"What're you two doin'?"

"You've done it now, bro," Gunner, perched on the counter said, as the two little girls let out ear piercing screams.

Instead of Mark being the first one into the kitchen, it was Michelle.

"What's going on? Is everyone alright?" she asked, looking around at the kids.

"Yeah, we're cool. These two just freaked out on me, that's all," Damian replied, popping another empanada into his mouth.

"He won't share!" Gracie exclaimed.

_"Damian, share with your sisters!"_

"God damn it. He's got freakin' bat hearin'."

"No, he's a father. It's been programmed into him from the day he was born to know what you guys are up too when he's not in the room."

"You mean like that time he called when me and Alison where..." Damian started to say, then he remembered his brother and sisters where in the room. "...playing Monopoly and he called to tell me Ally was cheating."

"Monopoly, right, good cover, Lizard," Gunner said, taking the plate of treats from his brother.

"Did he save us anything?" Zoë, with Autumn and Thunder following her, asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I saved'em," Gunner said, offering the plate to the trio and the little girls.

"Thank you, Gunner," his older sister said, taking four of the little pies and giving two to Autumn, then she looked back at Thunder. "I think you've got something to say to Damian?"

The elder of the Calaway children looked at the new comer curiously.

"What's he got to say to me?" he asked.

The boy just stood there, until his sister hit him again.

"Say it, Thunder," Autumn hissed.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you when you called me "Ted"," the boy said, glaring at the older man.

"If I weren't a nice guy, I'd pop you one," he said. "But I don't want Dad to pop me one for hitting you, so apology accepted. Michelle, is Dad in his office?"

"Yeah."

"I need to talk to him, and let Mrs. Juarez know not to fix dinner tonight and to put on her Sunday best."

"You takin' us to Sizzler again?" Gunner asked.

"Gunner, go explicit word yourself," his brother replied, not looking at the younger man as he left the kitchen.

"What's ex...explic..what's that word mean?" Gracie asked, looking up at Michelle.

"It's a grown up word, honey, you'll learn it when you get older," her step-mother replied. "Maybe."

* * *

"What do you want, Damian?" Mark asked, not looking away from the papers he was looking over.

"Those kids. Gunner said they're fosters you and Michelle took in," the younger man replied, stepping into his fathers office and shutting the door behind him.

"They are."

"Same situation as Zoë?"

"Yeah. The only one who would've gone into foster care would've been the girl," his father replied. "But I didn't want the boy out on the street, so we took'em in."

Damian nodded as he sat down.

"They got any other family to look after them?" he asked.

"State's been looking for six months and if there's any family out there, they don't want the kids."

For a few minutes there was silence in the room, until Damian asked,

"So what're you gonna do with them if they can't find a home for the girl?"

"I wanted to talk to you and Zoë about that," Mark replied looking up at his son.

"Want me to get her?"

"No, I'll talk to her later, but I'll tell you right now. We've talked about adopting Autumn, Thunder he's eighteen and can make the choice if he wants to join the family or go out on his own. But before we did anything, we wanted to get your opinion on the situation."

"I like the girl, she's sweet. Odd, but sweet, the boy, I don't like him," Damian said. "He's a little smart ass who needs his ass kicked."

"He got enough of that growing up," his father said. "Those two kids have been through hell and back, Dami. If your uncle Paul hadn't gotten Zoë out of that house when he did, she would've ended up like them."

"You're thinkin' about adoptin' that little girl in the kitchen, how come you and Mama never adopted Zoë?"

"We couldn't, her mother got her back."

"Yeah, ten years after you took her in, Dad. Zoë tells everyone she's one of us when she's not, never has been and you tell people she's your oldest girl, your little princess but ya'll never made it official."

Mark didn't say anything, he just sat staring at his son. "That's why you wanna adopt Autumn, to make up for not adopting Zoë, huh? You know you fucked up by not making her your legal child and you don't want to make the same mistake with..."

"Damian! He's in your room!" Chasey shouted through the door.

"Excuse me," the young man said, standing up. "I've got an ass to kick."

"Michelle said don't say that word!"

"Am I the only member of this family without super hearing?"

"Yeah, don't hurt the boy too much, son."

"I won't, and I'm takin' ya'll out tonight so don't let Mrs. Juarez cook anything," Damian said.

"I won't," his father said, going back to his paper work as his son left the room, stopping long enough to pick his sister up before continuing on down the hall.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

After being forced to apologize to Damian, Thunder had left the kitchen and gone upstairs, having told Michelle and his sister he was going to get cleaned up.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the house, he was headed to his current obsession.

On the East end of the house was a room he'd been told to stay away from since day one, a room with a black door and he wanted to know what the door hid.

For six months he'd been trying to get into the room, and for six months Mark, Michelle or the house keeper Mrs. Juarez, would chase him away from it, but with everyone distracted by the arrival of Damian and Zoë, he had his chance to get inside.

The lock wasn't hard to pick, a few quick twists and turns with a bobby pin and it clicked, allowing him to open the door.

"Holy shit," he breathed, he stepping into the room.

It was the second largest bedroom in the house, following the master suite on the other end, and the walls where painted black from the floor then faded to gray when they met the ceiling, which was painted with swirls of black and gray.

They where covered in posters for both American metal and European Death Metal bands, interspersed with hand drawn pictures of dragons, demons, and other things that looked like they where from some crack jobs mind.

A large drawing desk was set up in the corner of the room opposite the window, which was flanked by heavy black drapes, a dark wooded entertainment center sat just to the right of the door, across from the king size bed that was covered in black and crimson bedding, a stuffed gray horse with a bright yellow ribbon around it's neck (looking out of place in the dark room) sat against the pillows and a black dresser sat to the left of the door, it's top scattered with framed pictures mingling with little statues of gargoyles, dragons and a miniature coffin.

Moving over to the dresser, the boy looked at the pictures.

He immediately recognized Mark in all of them, and after staring at the photos for a moment longer, he realized the two kids pictured with his foster father where Damian and Zoë, and the woman with them must've been their mother.

"Do you just walk into Dad and Michelle's room too or just mine?"

Head snapping up, Thunder found Damian, with Chasey at his side, standing just inside the door, shades finally off and green eyes not full of anger, but curiosity as to why the boy was in the room.

"I, uh, I..." the boy stammered out watching the older man walk across the room and open the top drawer of the nightstand by the bed and pull out a leather bound book.

"Shorty, why don't you show Autumn the pictures of Thor and Godzilla we drew the last time I was here," he said, giving the book to his sister. "Then you can tell her about the time you and Gracie got to hold Baby Randy."

"Okay," the little girl said smiling then it faded when she looked at Thunder, stating as she left the room. "You're in trouble."

There was an awkward silence before Damian shut the door and walked over to the drawing desk, picking up the stool that sat before it and carrying it back to the center of the room.

"Sit," he said, pointing at it.

"I don't have to do what you say," Thunder said, arms crossing over his chest and standing up straight, trying to intimidate the older man.

Damian stood up to his full height, making him tower over the boy.

"Sit," he repeated, forcing himself not to smirk when the boy practically jumped onto the stool, before he walked over to his bed and sat down, watching the teenager.

After making him squirm, he asked,

"What're you doin' in my room?"

Thunder shrugged. "Dad said you've been through hell and back, I can't say I understand, but I'm not gonna pussy foot around you 'cause I might hurt your feelings. When I ask a question, I want an answer. Now, why are you in my room?"

"I wanted to see what was behind the black door," the boy finally replied. "The first day we where here, I was checkin' the place out and saw the black door. I tried to open it but it was locked and Michelle told me to leave it alone, it wasn't any of my business what was in here, but then she was gone the next day and so I tried again, but Mrs. Juan..."

"Mrs. Juarez. She's been workin' for my dad for a long time, so you show her the same respect you show him. Got it?"

"Uh, got it, anyways, she told me to leave it alone to and then the third time I tried to get in here, Mark caught me and told me if I didn't leave the door alone, well, you get the idea," Damian only nodded, letting the boy continue. "And then you showed up today and everyone was distracted, so I took the chance to finally get in here."

"And?"

"And I thought I had issues," Thunder said. "This place is creepy, especially that horse."

"Believe it or not, I was a normal little kid at one point in time," the older man said, then he picked up the little horse and looked at it, smiling. "And Mr. Pony was a gift from my grandparents when I turned four. He's survived nineteen years and I would like for him to survive another nineteen. Now, get out of here."

"What if I don't want to leave? What if I've decided I want this to be my room."

Damian calmly put his horse down and stood up, moving over to the boy and staring down at him.

"Kid, tomorrow you're going to meet my cousin Graham," he said. "Ask him what happens when people piss me off."

"Why don't you just tell me?" Thunder asked.

"Just ask Graham when he gets here. Now get out."

Suddenly feeling nervous, Thunder bolted off of the stool and out of the room, Damian's laughter floating after him down the stairs.

* * *

"Damian drew these?" Autumn asked, looking up from the picture of a bright pink snake.

"Yeah, it's a Calaway exclusive. Art by Damian, color by Chasey and Gracie," Michelle said, watching as the girl turned the page, eyes going wide when she saw the next picture.

It was a photo of Damian, Mark, and two men she didn't recognize holding up a very big snake that had been taped to the page.

"That's his baby," Zoë said, smiling. "Godzilla. He was cleaning out the enclosure, or trying too, when I took the picture."

"Who're those other guys?"

"The one next to Mark is Quinn and the guy on the end is Albert. They work in his shop."

"What does he do for a living? Is he an artist?" Autumn asked, turning to the next page. "That's beautiful."

The picture she was looking at now was of a horse surrounded by what looked like flames, but the picture was only half done. "Why's it half finished?"

Before either Zoë or Michelle could answer her questions, Thunder stormed into the kitchen.

"He's a fuckin' psycho!" he yelled.

"Who's a psycho?" Autumn asked, looking up at her brother.

"That Damian! He's nuts!"

"You went into his room, didn't you?" Zoë asked.

"We told you to stay away from Damian's room, Thunder," Michelle said, looking at the young man. "How'd you get in there?"

"He probably picked the lock," his sister said, going back to looking at the drawings. "Why're you so freaked out?"

"It's like a fuckin' crypt or something! The walls are black and...and he's got a god damn coffin!"

"Cool."

"His money box?" Zoë asked. "He made that way back in high school. It's no big deal."

"Look at this, Thunder, Damian drew it," Autumn said, trying to change the subject and holding up the book to show her brother an ornate Celtic Cross then they looked at the brunette when she sighed. "Something wrong?"

"Her boyfriend, I guess that's what Stephen is now, has a cross sort of like that," Michelle explained. "He's Irish, so his whole gimmick is being a Celtic Warrior."

"Was, now he's been demoted to a stupid King," Zoë said. "No offense to Mr. Lawler, he's been working that angle for as long as Stephen's been alive, but my little leprechaun's just having some bad luck right now."

"But that's not the subject we where on. Thunder, we told you to stay away from Damian's room, so we're going to have to punish you."

"Let Damian beat him up," the younger woman said.

"No, we'll just take his car keys for three weeks," Michelle said, then she held out her hand. "Hand them over."

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Thunder, give me the keys or I'll get Mark."

With an overly dramatic sigh, the boy handed the keys over. "Thank you."

"Whatever," he grumbled, walking out of the kitchen and almost knocking Gunner into the wall.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked, watching the boy wander off.

"He went into Damian's room," Zoë replied.

"He entered the Shadow Realm and survived?"

"Yeah," she said, then she looked at Autumn. "To answer your question. Damian's a tattoo artist and a wrestler, the picture's half finished because it was supposed to be a gift for his girlfriend but she left him without reason or warning, and for the love of God, don't mention because he'll just start bitching. Ask him about his snakes, ask him about his shop, just don't talk about that girl."

"Um, alright," the girl said, then she looked back at Gunner. "Why'd you call Damian's room "The Shadow Realm"?"

"Come with me and I'll show you," he said. "As long as we knock on the door, he'll be cool if we drop in."

Standing up, Autumn followed the older boy from the room.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

"LIZARD! YOU IN YOUR ROOM?" Gunner yelled as he led Autumn down the East hall way of the house.

"Why did you call Damian "Lizard"?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I've always called my brother Lizard, it's his nickname. He likes snakes and lizards, so that's what Dad started calling him when he was little," the taller boy replied before yelling again, "LIZARD!"

"Shut the hell up, ya little windbag!" came the reply from the open door at the end of the hallway.

Stopping just outside the door, Gunner knocked on the frame and poked his head into the room.

"Can we come in?" he asked, spying his brother at the drawing desk.

"We who? We as in you and the girls or We as in you and one of Dad's newbies?" the older man asked, not looking up.

"Me and Autumn. She wanted to see you room, the legal way."

Damian's reply was a shrug and a grunt, his mind focused once again on whatever it was he was working on.

Stepping aside, Gunner gestured for Autumn to enter the room.

"Go on in, he won't bite," he said. "He's full right now, so you're safe."

"I don't know," she whispered.

"In or out, I don't have the time to be messin' around waitin' fer you to do somethin'," Damian said.

Looking once more up at Gunner, who nodded and gave her a gentle push, Autumn entered the room and looked around.

It was a little unnerving, but so was the man sitting at the drawing desk in one corner of the room.

"What're you working on?" the younger Calaway asked, walking into the room and over to the bed, flopping down on it while the young girl stood nervously just inside the door.

"An idea that came to me a while ago," his brother replied, sitting up and turning to look at the two teenagers, holding up a piece of paper.

It was a picture of thunder clouds with jagged lightening arching from them, but it was what was at the center of the picture that held their attention.

It was a rearing horse and in her mind, Autumn could see the beasts hooves flailing, the mane askew in the winds whipped up by the storm.

"Who's that for?" Gunner asked.

"That little pea-brain who broke in here, if he wants it and Dad, as his legal guardian, says he can get the work done."

"My brother broke into your room and you want to give him a tattoo?"

The two young men looked at Autumn, who was now feeling nervous and looking at the floor.

"I wanted to kick his ass, but being the gentleman I am, I just let him go with a warning."

"You told him to talk to Graham, didn't you?" Gunner asked.

"I did, and tomorrow morning our dear cousin's comin' over for breakfast and to have a talk with Pea-brain," his brother replied, then he stood up and moved across the room to where Autumn stood. "But for now, you can have it. I can always redraw it."

"This is amazing," she said, softly, staring at the picture before she looked up at him, then moved to look at the pictures on the walls. "Did you draw these too?"

Damian nodded.

"Yeah, I went through a Goth phase in high school, and so I thought I was a tortured soul for about six months," he replied.

"Then you fell off the ladder helpin' Joe hang up Christmas lights at your mom's house, hit your head and thought you where a duck for two hours," his brother said.

"What?" the girl asked, looking between the brothers.

"Ignore him, he's probably high," the older man said. "Why don't you two go and start getting ready to go. I made dinner reservations..."

"At Sizzler."

"...no you jack ass. This place is a little more fun."

"Oh God, not Shaker's. Damian, you can't take the ladies' there. Dad had a fit when you took me there for my birthday."

"We're going to Alfie's," his brother said, glaring at him before adding, "We'll, uh, hit Shaker's later tonight."

Gunner only grinned as his big brother went back to showing off his drawings.

* * *

_They've got it all_, Thunder thought as he stood staring at Damian's bike.

It was a black Harley, what model or year, he didn't know.

The paint was glossy and the shine on the chrome was enough to make his eyes hurt, but what drew his attention to the awesome machine was the picture on it.

It was a lizard, an iguana it looked like, holding some kind of gun and the name "_LIZARD_" was written above the lizard in smoky letters to drift down the side of the gas tank.

_His parents probably bought it for him just to do it_, the boy thought, circling the bike and reaching out to touch it, but a voice stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that. Damian's got this weird sixth sense thing when it comes to his bike or snakes."

Looking back, Thunder saw Zoë walking towards him. "I'm serious, kid. I bumped into the bike one night, and he just about went through the screen on his bedroom window, and it's on the fifth floor of an eight story building."

"Mark probably just gave this to him, didn't he?" the boy asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"No, Damian saved up for it," the young woman replied, smiling. "The only thing Mark paid for was to have the picture put on it. That was a surprise birthday present and almost put Lizard in the hospital."

"Did he almost wreck it or something?"

"No, he's very possessive of this thing. When he was twenty one, twenty two, Michelle mistakenly sold his first bike thinking it was one Mark had for sale, so when this one came up missing, Damian thought she'd sold it again and passed out."

The boy shook his head. "What?"

"That guy is so weird," he said. "He's got it all and can replace something if it goes missing, but instead he freaks out about it."

"He's not weird, just cheap, but that's because Dad and Lydia taught him the value of a dollar," Zoë said. "Every penny Damian earns, he puts away. He's wealthy in his own right, but you'd never know it to look at him and now he's got the chance to earn himself a contract with the biggest wrestling promotion in the world, but is he seeing stars and his name in lights? No, he's just seeing the chance to work with his father and make new friends along the way."

"You didn't come out here to give me a speech about Damian, did you?" Thunder asked.

"No, I came out here to get to know you," the older woman replied. "See what makes you tick, why you're here with Mark and Michelle."

"It's none of your business why I'm here, or why my sister's here."

"You two came from a home where your parents did, sold drugs or both, and if Autumn did something wrong, or if anyone did something wrong, she was punished badly for it. Sometimes beaten, sometimes starved or both. You'd try to protect her, or sneak her food, but it would only make her punishment worse," the little woman said, staring at the bike before looking at Thunder. "Tell me when I'm hot or cold. Your folks where married, but you two had lots of "aunts" and "uncles" who'd come to stay for a few days or weeks, right?"

The young man's brown eyes narrowed as he stared at Zoë.

"How do you know all of that?" he asked, suspicious now that Mark or Michelle, or even Autumn, had blabbed.

"I came from the same type of place, kid," she said. "For ten years I lived with the Calaways, one way or another, until my real mom got out of prison. I was only a baby when she lost me, but then when she got me back, it was like everything she did wrong, was my fault. From bad drug deals to bad relationships, it was my fault in her mind."

"What'd she, um, do to you? If you don't mind me asking," Thunder said,

Zoë shook her head.

"You don't want to know, Thunder. Trust me," she said. "My demons are my own, like yours belong to you. Just be thankful you've got someone like Mark willing to just take you in when he really doesn't even know you. Now, Damian said we're going out to dinner, so get inside and get cleaned up before he spazzes out and hoses you down because he thinks we're running behind."

"He wouldn't do that, would he?" the boy asked.

Zoë only smiled and turned around, walking back towards the house and leaving Thunder to think about what she'd said.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty**

"Why can't we just stay home?" Gunner asked, looking at his father.

"Because your brothers offering to pay for all of us to have dinner," Mark replied.

"I just hope he doesn't pull a dine and dash again," Michelle said, reaching down to fix Gracie's pony tail, the little girl squirming and trying to get away.

"That was a long time ago."

"It was last month, Mark!"

"What was last month?" Damian asked, walking into the living room where everyone was gathered, looking around.

"Nothing," his father replied. "Where's Thunder?"

"Still in his room," Autumn said. "He said he didn't want to go with us."

"I'll go and talk to him," Mark said, standing up but Damian held up one hand.

"I'll do it, Dad," he said. "I've gotta get to know him, right?"

"Don't hurt him, Damian."

"I won't," the young man said, turning around and walking out of the room again.

"Do you think he's really going to talk to him?" Gunner asked, looking at his father.

"Probably not."

"PUT ME DOWN, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" they heard Thunder yelling.

"I thought he only did that with me," Zoë said when Damian came down the stairs with the teenager slung over his shoulder.

"We're goin' out as a family, and if you're livin' here, you're part of the family. So shut up and when I put you down, get in the car."

"I'm not goin'," the boy said, still struggling to get lose but Damian was bigger, and stronger, then he was.

"Yeah, you are," Damian said, carrying him out the door and calling back. "Let's roll people! We ain't got all night!"

****Two Hours Later****

"This place sucks," Thunder grumbled, staring at the table top before looking up and around.

The "restaurant" Damian had taken the family too was more like a family friendly road house with an arcade on one side and a dance floor on the other, the jukebox in the corner cranking out country music spanning the last thirty years.

It was loud and crowded, kids running around and adults yelling and shouting at one another or kids from across the place.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" his sister asked, watching Michelle, Gracie and Chasey watch Damian and Gunner battle each other on the Dance Dance Revolution game. "Damian can move, can't he?"

The reply she got was a grunt of disinterest. "God, lighten up, Thunder. Do you think we would have ever done anything like this with our own parents?"

He remained silent. "No, we wouldn't have. They would've gone without us and you know it."

"I want to go home," he said, finally looking at her. "We don't belong here, Autumn and you..."

"Do either of you have a dollar?" Michelle asked, appearing next to the table.

"Um, no. Why?" the girl asked.

"There's a certain song that makes Damian REALLY dance, but I don't have any more money. I gave it all to the girls and they gave it to the boys," the older woman replied, "Thunder? What about you?"

"Broke," he replied. "Sorry."

"You want me to keep those keys another week?" she asked.

"I'm broke. I spent the last of my money on parts for the car," he said again. "I'm sorry I can't help you."

"That's a little better. Mrs. Juarez, what about you?"

The older Hispanic woman sitting next to Autumn shook her head.

"Sorry, dear, but like you, I gave what I had to the pequeños and they gave to it the boys."

"Mark! He's got money, he hit the bank before we came here in case Damian ditched us and Zoë took his credit cards," Michelle said, moving away from the table and practically running across the restaurant.

Fifteen minutes earlier, both Mark and Zoë had left to take phone calls.

One a business call, the other a personal and both where still missing.

"I WON! IN YOUR FACE, LIZARD!" Gunner yelled, shoving his brother, who shoved back and almost sent the younger man tumbling to the floor. "Jackass."

"Cheater," Damian snapped, then he moved away from the game and picked Gracie up, balancing her on his left hip and taking Chasey's hand with his right. "C'mon girls, let's leave Gunner to gloat over his win and check to see if Autumn and Pea-Brain are treatin' Mrs. Juarez alright."

"When can we get ice cream?" Gracie asked, looking at her big brother.

"When Dad and Zoë get back," he said, putting her down next to her chair. "Hop up there, Short stuff, or do you need my help?"

"I can do it myself," she said, glaring up at him before she climbed up onto her chair, sitting on her knees. "I want chocolate ice cream."

"I know you do. You want chocolate, Chasey wants strawberry, Gunner wants PRETTY PRINCESS BUBBLEGUM PINK and..."

"I'm gonna tell everybody in this place about your little adventures into your mothers, and mine's, closet if you don't stop harassing me," the younger Calaway said, suddenly appearing behind his brother.

"Whatever, Spazz," Damian said, then he looked at the three sitting at the table. "Can I persuade you two lovely ladies into joining us for ice cream?"

"No, gracias, niño," Mrs. Juarez said, smiling. "But thank you for asking. I think it's time for me to go."

"No way! It's still early, Mrs. J," Gunner said.

The older woman smiled fondly at the young man.

"You forget I am not the same age as you, Gunner," she said. "I could be your grandmother."

"You kinda are," he said. "But if you really wanna leave, I'll ask Dad if I can take ya home."

"Gracias, niño."

Nodding, the boy disappeared into the crowd, leaving his brother and sisters with Thunder, Autumn and Mrs. Juarez.

"Autumn, you gotta favorite flavor?" Damian asked.

"Maple walnut," she replied.

"Pea-Brain?"

"Screw you."

"Lemme try that again. Thunder, what kind of ice cream do you like?"

"Drop dead."

"Do we hafta go outside, Thunder? Because I would hate to leave these four lovely ladies..." the older man started to say, but then he cocked his head to the right.

"It's your favorite song, Dami," Chasey said.

Damian didn't say anything as he just moved around the table and grabbed Autumn by the hand.

"C'mon, missy, we're goin' dancin'!"

* * *

"Why did you give him your phone number?" Mark asked, looking at Zoë.

"Because we've gotta budding relationship and we're trying to work on building it," she replied as she walked back inside, her father following her. "That's why I gave him my number."

There was a lot more noise coming from the restaurant, people cheering and clapping along to Brooks & Dunn's "Boot Scootin' Boogie".

"Damian," they said, looking at one another before making their way to the front of the crowd.

The young man had gotten a line dance started, and had dragged poor Autumn into the mix but it looked like she was keeping up with the either other young women surrounding Damian, laughing and smiling.

"Zoë, girl, get out here!" he yelled over the music, gesturing for his sister to join them.

"No," she said, shaking her head, but soon found herself shoved out onto the dance floor and when she looked back, Mark was gone.

**A/N:** There's a new poll up! Go and vote for who you think Damian will face in his debut match!


	31. Chapter 31

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty One**

"I think you embarrassed Zoë," Gunner said, looking at his brother who had commandeered the drivers seat of his car.

"Naw, Dad did that. I just exacerbated the situation," Damian replied, then he glanced in the rear view mirror. "You havin' back there in Grumpyville, Pea-Brian?"

Thunder flipped the older man off. "Hey, now, I can drop you off in the middle of town to find your own way home."

"It'd probably be better then being stuck with you," the boy replied.

"You could've left with everyone else, man," Gunner said. "You didn't have to come with us."

Half an hour earlier, after thoroughly embarrassing Zoë, promising two upset little girls he would be there in the morning when they woke up and swearing to both his father and Michelle he'd look after the boys, Damian had "stolen" Gunner's car keys from the younger man, forced Thunder into the back seat and was now headed to his third favorite place to visit in Houston.

"Michelle told me that if I didn't come with you two, I would never get my car back. For some reason she seems to think I like Freak-boy."

"Freak boy. I like that," Damian said, nodding. "Think I'll have Wendell put it across my shoulders. You think that would look cool, Gunner?"

"It wouldn't look good with what you've got there already," his brother replied. "What about across your belly?"

"Uh, no, stupid."

"Don't let Dad hear you say that, he'd think you where talking about him."

"Hey! Look, we're here!" the older man said as he pulled the car into the parking lot of a low, long, dark colored building with a blue neon sign above the door that ready _**"SHAKER'S"**_. "Alright, you two got your IDs?"

"I don't know why we need'em. They know us here."

"But they don't know him, Gunner. Thunder, you've got ID right?"

The boy only nodded. "Alright, we got here early, so we'll get a good table and first shot at the wing bar."

"You're still hungry?" Gunner asked.

"Yeah."

"Damian, you ate half a cow at dinner with I think half of the state's potato supply, washed that down with Michelle, Zoë's, Chasey and Gracie's left overs, the rest of the bread basket, four glasses of milk and finished the evening off with a pie and two sundaes!"

"What's your point?"

"Never mind, man."

"Alright, let's get in there," Damian said, then he got out of the car, locked his door and headed for the building.

"Does he always eat like that?" Thunder asked as he and Gunner left the car, locking their doors and following after Damian.

"Yeah. If we know he's coming to visit, which is mostly during the summer so he can see me and the girls, I swear Dad sometimes buys whole grocery stores so there'll be enough food for everyone," Gunner replied, pulling his wallet from his pocket. "Get your card out, man, or they won't let you in."

"What is this place anyways?" the other boy asked when they reached the front door, hearing the low thump of heavy bass.

"You'll see when we get inside," his foster brother replied, pulling open the door and stepping into a cheerful looking lobby where Damian was waiting for them.

"Double trouble tonight, Sammy," a very big blonde man, who was standing on one side of a set of double doors said, looking at his counter part.

"I'm thinkin' triple, Louie," a very large African American man said, smiling. "Damian, been a while, man."

"Been busy up north," Damian said, smiling. "but I'm takin' some time off to work on my other career."

"How's that workin' for you?" Louie, the blonde man, asked, looking over Thunder's ID and nodding.

"Good, so far. I've got me a shot at a contract with, I don't know if you've heard of it, this little wrestling promotion up in Stamford, Connecticut, called World Wrestling Entertainment."

"Congratulations, man. You should tell AJ the good news, then you won't have to pay for anything," Sammy said.

"Do I ever?" Damian asked as he led Thunder and a now grinning Gunner through the double doors.

The shorter teenagers eyes bugged out of his head by the sight before him.

There were a few other men sitting at the bar or at the tables scattered around and in front of a stage where a half naked brunette was hanging upside down from a pole while several other half dressed girls moved around the floor, going from table to table flirting with the men there before leaving with some while others just put money in their thongs or G-strings.

"This is a strip club," he said.

"No, it's a ballet recital," Damian said, then he was gone, headed off across the club.

"Hi, Gunner," two very pretty blonde women, one dressed as a French Maid and the other in just a sparkly blue bra and G-string said, walking up to the boys.

"Tina, Gina, how're you girls doin' tonight?" Gunner asked, looking between the two.

"It's been boring, but now that you're here, things are looking up," the Maid said, smiling, then she saw Thunder. "What's your name, Cutie?"

Thunder, who'd been staring at her chest, looked up.

"What?" he asked.

"What's your name, moron," Gunner said.

"Oh, Thunder. My name's Thunder."

Tina and Gina looked at one another, then giggled.

"Is it your first time here, honey?" the girl in the G-string (Gina, he thought) asked.

Thunder only nodded.

"Well, then, come with me, big boy," she said, taking his hand and leading him off towards the back of the club.

"Go easy on'em, Gina!" Gunner called after her.

"What about you?" Tina asked, looking at him.

"Lemme check on Lizard first, he's trying to eat his own body weight in food tonight," he replied. "Start without me."

"Don't start anything with any body," Damian, carrying two plates piled with hot wings and a dark haired woman wearing nothing but a translucent red robe and matching thong carrying two bowls of ranch dressing following him, said as he walked up to his brother and the dancer.

"Damian, lemme go with her, please?" Gunner whined, not liking that he was begging his big brother to let a stripper give him a lap dance but he really wanted it.

"Where's Thunder?"

"Getting what I want to get. Now lemme go with her."

"Fine, Tina, go easy on him, please."

"You got it, honey," she said, then she took Gunner's hand in hers and led him off in the same direction Gina had taken Thunder.

Sighing, he shook his head.

"Thumper, what am I gonna do with them?" he asked, looking at the woman.

"What you did when you brought your brother here for his birthday. Ignore them, fork over your money when they ask for it, and share those wings with me and AJ," she replied.

Damian didn't say anything, he only shrugged and headed for the closet table.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty Two**

_****5 am****_

Zoë jerked awake when she heard the front door opening and peeked over the back of the couch to see three figures creeping inside.

The last one in eased the door shut and relocked it.

"Where in the hell have you three been?" she asked quietly, making the three jump and look in her direction.

Smiling, she got off the couch and padded across the living room to stand in the arch way leading to the foyer.

"Out," Damian replied. "Showing Thunder around town."

"All night?" she asked.

"I called."

"When?"

"Um, guys, when did I call home?"

Thunder and Gunner looked at one another before looking at Damian again, shrugging. "We don't recall when I called, but I did call."

"Bullshit. The phone never rang one time last night, Damian. You went to Shaker's, didn't you?" Zoë asked.

"No," Damian said.

"Yes you did. You smell like hot wings and...strippers."

The three young men looked at her. "What?"

"How do you know what a stripper smells like?" her little brother asked.

"Rita was one for a while and would take me to "work" with her," the young woman replied. "I spent a lot of time in the dressing room. A couple of times she even forgot about me and I'd stay the night with one of the other girls."

"Lucky," Gunner grumbled.

"Not lucky, dumb ass. The other girls were more like mothers to me then my own, she was so busy getting high and fucked that it was like I wasn't around unless she needed a punching bag."

"Oh, wow. I'm sorry, Zoë," the boy said, walking over to her and hugging her.

"Not your fault, baby boy," she said, patting his back. "Now get your butts upstairs before Dad decides to see what's going on down here."

"You heard her," Damian said, gesturing for the two boys to go to their rooms. "And for the love of god, be quiet."

The two only nodded as they headed up to their rooms, leaving Zoë and Damian alone in the foyer.

"Have you been up all night waitin' for us?" he asked.

"No, I was talking to Stephen," she replied. "He said the next show's going to be in Phoenix, but he's going to get there a day early so we can go out and check out the sights."

Shuddering, Damian shook his head. "We're actually going sight seeing, Damian. "Check out the sights" isn't code for sex, we're not to that point yet. We've just started dating."

"Whatever. I hope he burns to a crisp," he said, then he headed up to his room to get some sleep.

_****7 am****_

_I didn't set my alarm_, Damian sleepily thought when a strange buzzing invaded his sleep then he realized it was his cell phone.

Without opening his eyes, he reached out and felt around the bedside table until he felt the annoying device and picked it up, sliding it open.

"Hello?"

_"Damian?"_

"Yeah. Who's this?"

_"This is John Laurinaitis, WWE's VP of talent relations."_

The young man's eyes snapped open and he sat up straight.

"Hello, Mr. Laurinaitis," he said.

_"I hope it's not too early for me to be calling you?"_ the older man asked.

"No, sir, no. It's fine. How can I help you?"

_"Well, Mr. Calaway, Mr. McMahon asked me to call you. When's the soonest you can get to Stamford?"_

"May I ask why?" Damian asked.

_"Well, I've got a piece of paper on my desk with your name on it, but I can't officially hire you without your signature on that paper."_

The young man was silent. _"Damian? You still with me, son?"_

"Yes, sir. I'm still here. I thought you said you couldn't hire me without my signature on some paper."

_"That's right. I'm looking at your WWE contract right now, and all it needs is your name on the dotted line," _Laurinaitis replied.

"I will be in Stamford on Friday," Damian said.

_"Great! I'll see you then,"_ the man known as Johnny Ace said.

"Alright, you have a great day, sir." the young man said, then he snapped his phone shut and jumped out of bed. "YES! YES YES YES YESSSS!"

Running out of his room, he ran down the hallway still shouting. "I GOT IT! I FUCKING GOT IT!"

Gunner, half asleep, came out of his room to see why his brother was running up and down the hallway screaming.

"What's wron..." he started to ask, but his brother grabbed him before he could finish his sentence and kissed him, not even caring that he was shoved to the floor by his little brother. "What the fuck, dude?"

"I got it, Gunner! I fucking got it!" Damian exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"What'd you get? Other then the loss of your mind sometime last night?"

"I GOT MY GOD DAMN WWE CONTRACT!

"Uh, congratulations," Gunner said as his brother ran off, cackling like a hyena as he ran down the stairs.

**A/N:** The voting to see who Damian faces in his big match ends soon (and yes, I know all of the choices where involved in feuds with 'Taker in some way or another). So hurry and vote for your favorite choice!


	33. Chapter 33

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

_**A/N 2: There's going to be some sadness here at the end, just warning you**_

**Chapter Thirty Three**

_****10 am****_

Autumn was sitting in the living room, ear buds in, Ipod turned up as high as she could stand it and sketch book balanced on her knees while she studied Zoë and Michelle.

The two women where cleaning up the aftermath of Damian's early morning freak out after his call from a higher up at WWE HQ, and didn't know they where being watched.

After a moment more of watching them, Autumn erased a couple of lines and re-drew them again before she sat up and angled her book to catch the light coming in through the living room window, frowning when she caught a slight flaw in her work.

Hunching over the pad, she erased the flaw and fixed it, before looking up at her foster family again and smiling.

Her work was done, and she would give it to them later, after breakfast.

Turning her Ipod off, she took out her ear buds and wrapped the cord around the player, setting it down on the coffee table and closing her book as the front door opened and Gunner walked in, followed by a slightly built, red headed man wearing glasses.

"Look who's here," the teenager said, leading the older man into the living room.

Michelle and Zoë stopped their cleaning and smiled at the new comer.

"Graham, I didn't know you where coming over," the older woman said.

"Lizard didn't tell you I was coming out here?"

"No, he didn't. Zoë, did you know about Graham coming out here?"

"Nope," the young woman said, then she saw Autumn sitting on the couch. "Wizard, this is Autumn. Autumn, this is my cousin Graham."

"Hi," the girl said shyly, looking down at her sketch book then she looked up when she heard movement and found Graham standing over her.

"C'mere, girl," he said, smiling as he reached down and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet and hugging her. "Uncle Mark told me about you and your brother, so welcome to the family."

"Dad told you, but not me and Damian?" Zoë asked, then she looked at Michelle. "Why'd you guys tell him but not us?"

"Mark said he told you guys."

"No, he didn't say a freakin' word!"

"Then he probably didn't tell you that we're trying to adopt Autumn, did he?"

Zoë didn't say anything as she left the living room, but a minute or so after she'd left, they heard her yelling,

_"OLD MAN, WE NEED TO TALK!"_

"So, where's Lizard?" Graham asked.

"He's out back cooling down," Michelle replied. "He got the call that he got his WWE contract this morning, so he was running around the house screaming about it. Mark finally caught him and tossed him outside."

"He's been out there for three hours," Autumn said. "Thunder's out there with him."

"Sweet. It was nice talkin' to ya Michelle, Autumn it was nice to meet you. Gunner, stay outta trouble, kid," Wizard said as he headed for the back of the house.

* * *

"You alright now?" Thunder asked, watching Damian lay on the grass, staring at the sky.

"Yeah, I'm good," the older man replied, sitting up. "Uh, thanks for smacking me earlier."

"Not a problem. I waited twenty four hours to do that," the boy said, then he looked back when the sliding door opened and a man he didn't know walked outside.

"Michelle told me the good news, man. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Wizard," Damian said, standing up. "I'm excited."

"That's what I heard. Excited enough to run through the house screaming about it."

"Lack of sleep had my brain freaked out," the younger man said, then he looked at Thunder. "This is my cousin Graham, or Wizard, whatever you want to call him."

"Lizard and Wizard? You two have rhyming nicknames?" the boy asked.

"I've heard about you," Graham said ,looking at the kid. "My uncle said you're a snotty little thing."

"Dude, tell him what happens when someone gets on my bad side," his cousin said.

"You think that's a good idea? Might give him nightmares."

"Good, now tell him or better yet, show and tell, Wizard. Show and tell."

Sighing, Graham unbuttoned his shirt and turned around, shrugging it off to reveal a jagged, dark scar going from his right shoulder, zig-zagging down his back to his left hip.

"What happened to you?" Thunder asked.

"Damian happened. We got into an argument over our shops finances," Graham replied, putting his shirt back on. "It turned physical and he damn near put me through the wall."

"So remember that the next time I tell you stay away from my room," Damian said, then he rubbed his hands together. "Who wants waffles?"

* * *

Zoë wasn't surprised to find Mark's office door shut, that usually meant he was in the middle of something important but at that moment, she didn't care and went to open it, but stopped when, through the door she heard,

"When did it happen?"

A sudden feeling of dread fell over the young woman as she pressed her ear to the door. "Last night? Why didn't you call, you son of a bitch? How am I gonna tell them about this? Damian just found out he's going to be signed with the company and Zoë's forgotten about that little incident back in St. Louis and...What? She didn't want them to know?"

Knocking on the door, uncaring that she'd be yelled at, the young woman pushed it open and peeked around it.

"Daddy?" she asked when he looked at her.

"Don't worry about tellin'em, I'll do it. Good-bye, Joe," Mark said, then he hung up the phone.

Standing in the door way, Zoë didn't know what to do or say, until her father said,

"C'mere, Princess."

He gestured for her to come around to his side of the big desk, standing up when she was next to him.

"Zoë, I don't know how to really put this into words that won't make things worse," he, putting his hands on her shoulders, gently squeezing them.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Princess, last night...last night Lydia passed away."

Zoë didn't say anything, she just stood there staring at him before she backed away from him and left the office.

_If that's her reaction, what's Damian going to do?_ Mark thought as he sat back down, trying to think of a way to break the news to his son.


	34. Chapter 34

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty Four**

"Zoë, are you alright?" Michelle asked when the young woman, blank faced, walked past her and up the stairs, followed by a slamming door.

Looking back down the hall when she heard another door open, she saw her husband walking towards her, looking more sullen the usual.

"Mark, what's going on?" she asked. "What's wrong with Zoë?"

"Where's Damian?" he asked.

"He's in the kitchen with Graham and the kids, he's making breakfast," she replied. "Is something wrong?"

"Lydia died, Michelle," he said quietly, looking past her to make sure they where still alone.

"Oh my god, when?" she asked.

"Last night."

"Why didn't someone call us?"

"Joe called me twenty minutes ago and I asked him the same thing," Mark replied. "He said Lydia's last wish was that the kids didn't know she'd died."

"That's horrible. How could she want that for them?"

"I don't know, but I don't think Zoë's handling this well and I have still have to tell Damian..."

"You deal with him, I'll deal with her, what about the other five? They're going to notice something's wrong."

"We'll figure something out, but right now, I've got to tell Damian about his mother."

Michelle only nodded as she stepped aside, watching him walk away before she headed off to take care of her eldest step-daughter.

* * *

"I want four waffles," Gracie said.

"You can't eat four waffles," Damian said, looking at his littlest sister.

"You can, Dami."

"Just because I can doesn't mean you can do it, Short-stuff."

"Yeah huh," the little girl said.

"Alright, fine, but you've gotta eat'em all," he said, winking at Autumn and Thunder while Graham shook his head.

"Daddy, look, Damian's makin' us breakfast," Chasey said, smiling when her father walked into the kitchen.

"That's great, honey, but I need to talk to him for a minute," Mark said, "so why don't you and Gracie show Graham what Autumn did in your rooms."

Graham, sensing something was wrong, moved away from where he'd been leaning against the counter to the kitchen table, picking the youngest girl up while Gunner slid off the counter and picked Chasey up.

"C'mon, girls, show me your rooms," he said, then he looked back at Autumn and Thunder. "Why don't you two come with us?"

The girl stood up and left the kitchen, and for once Thunder didn't argue, he just followed after his sister with Graham, Gunner and the girls trailing after them.

"There's something wrong," Gunner said to his cousin as they headed for the front of the house.

"What's going on, Wizard?" Chasey asked, looking at her cousin.

"I don't know, Chasey, but I think it'd be a good idea if we all..."

From the kitchen, the group heard a sound that was part anguished scream part angry bellow, followed by the sounds of breaking glass.

"Everyone upstairs, right now," he said when they reached the stairs.

"Was that Damian?" Autumn asked, looking at Graham, wide eyed.

"Yes," the older man said, passing Gracie off to the girl while Gunner put his sister down and ran back towards the kitchen. "Take them upstairs and stay there until me or Mark tells you to come down. Thunder, you're comin' with me."

"Do I have too?" the boy asked.

Graham didn't say anything, he just grabbed the kid by the arm and headed off after Gunner.

* * *

"Damian, I know you're upset, son, but you don't have to trash the house," Mark said, watching his son pull one of the cupboard doors off its hinges.

"I am beyond upset, Dad!" the young man yelled. "I am pissed off!"

"I know, but..."

"SHE DIDN'T WANT US TO KNOW SHE WAS DEAD!" Damian bellowed, punching a hole in the wall by the window. "WHY IN THE FUCKIN' HELL WOULD SHE WANT JOE TO KEEP IT A GOD DAMN SECRET!"

"Damian, Joe said he thinks it was the meds she was on, they..changed...her, made her act different. Lydia wasn't Lydia anymore."

"She was still my mother," the young man said. "My mother, who was dying and DIDN'T WANT ME TO KNOW WHEN SHE KEELED OVER!"

Then he knocked all of the dishes that had been on the counter to the floor, some of the plates and glasses shattering while some just bounced on the floor and settled where they fell.

"Uncle Mark, everything cool in here?" Graham, with Gunner and Thunder backing him up, asked, walking into the room even though the trio now knew what was wrong after hearing Damian yelling.

"NO!" Damian yelled, ripping another cupboard door off it's hinges and tossing it at the sliding door.

The glass cracked with the impact, but didn't shatter and that just seemed to make the young man angrier. "Stupid son of a bitch! Damn fuckin' day starts out great and turns to shit!"

Thunder felt the sudden need to run and hide as he watched Damian kick the door, shattering the glass, seemingly uncaring of the blood that was now running down his leg as he turned his attention to his father.

"How long did you know?" he asked.

"I just found out myself," Mark replied. "I told Zoë and..."

"You told Zoë before you told me! Why'd you tell her first?"

"Because she walked into my office, Damian, and you know she's a little bit more sensitive then you are about some things."

The young man let out another angry bellow as he over turned the heavy oak table, sending the vase of flowers sitting at it's center crashing to the floor, along with the plates and glasses sitting on it, before he stormed out of the room, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

"Where are the girls?" Mark asked.

"I sent'em up stairs," Graham replied.

"Could you take the kids for the day?"

"Sure, Uncle Mark, not a problem," the younger man replied. "I'll even keep'em over night if you want."

"I'll call you later on that," the older man said. "Gunner, I want you to call your mother and tell her what's going on."

"Why?" the boy asked.

"Because she needs to know that you're coming home early, I'll call Sara and let her know what's going on too so she can come and get the girls."

"Did Lydia really...die...Dad?"

Mark only nodded.

"Um, alright, c'mon, guys, let's get the girls and we'll go out for breakfast," Graham said, turning the boys around and pushing them out of the kitchen, leaving his uncle alone to figure out how to deal with an emotionally disturbed Damian and emotionally distant Zoë.

**A/N**: Guess what everybody, the WWE has hit an all time low! Next week on Monday Night Raw, the WWE's special guest will be...Snooki the bane of New Jersey! That's right, at the request of John Cena (who's her twitter friend), Snooki will be infecting Monday Night Raw! I'm skipping the show. How about you?


	35. Chapter 35

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Super Disclaimer: I do not own any songs by the great country duo Brooks & Dunn**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

_**A/N2: I've decided to have some Zoë/Stephen (Sheamus) interaction here, and I've decided to mix in some of his native Irish into their conversation.**_

**Chapter Thirty Five**

Zoë sat on her bed, clinging to her pillow with her left arm while her right hand clutched her cell phone.

"C'mon, pick up. Pick up," she said as she listened to the other end of the line ringing.

Finally, on the fourth ring someone picked up.

_"Dia duit?"_

"Stephen, it's Zoë," she said, trying not to cry.

_"Zoë. I've been waitin' ta hear from ya,"_ Stephen said, and she could hear the smile in his voice but it did nothing to lighten her mood and she sniffled. _"Is somethin' wrong, Féileacán?"_

"My...Damian's mom died last night."

_"I'm sorry ta hear that. Ya told me she raised ya like her own,"_ he said. _"Are ya alright?"_

"No. She didn't want us to know she'd died, Stephen. Lydia told her husband not to tell us."

_"Then how'd ya find out?"_

"He called Mark this morning and told him what happened, and then Mark told me," she replied, letting her pillow go to reach up and wipe her eyes. "And from the sounds of things down stairs, he just told Damian the news."

_"He's not reactin' well, I take it?"_

"If destruction of property is a reaction, then no, he's not handling things well."

_"I'm sorry I canna be there with ya, Féileacán. I wish I was."_

"Don't worry about it, if the plan stays the same, we're leaving for Phoenix tomorrow unless there's going to be a funeral."

_"An' if there is, let me know and I'll be there for ya, Zoë, ya know I will be."_

"Thank you, Stephen," Zoë said, then she looked at her door when someone knocked on it. "I've gotta go, I think Mark wants to talk to me."

_"Alright, but call me back as soon as ya can, Féileacán."_

"I will," she said, then she ended the call and got off of her bed, crossing the room to the door and pulling it open.

It wasn't Mark on the other side, it was Michelle.

"Hey, I heard what happened," the older woman said. "How're you doing?"

"Okay, I guess," the younger woman replied. "I just got off the phone with Stephen."

"Oh, well, how's he doing?"

"Good. He told me he wishes he could be here with me, and that if there's going to be a funeral for Lydia, he'll be there for me."

"That's good," Michelle said, then there was a moment of silence between the two women. "Your father told Damian."

"I hear that," Zoë replied, then Autumn with Chasey and Gracie came up the hallway. "You guys alright?"

"Dami's mad," Gracie said, clinging to the older girl. "Wizard said we gotta stay up here."

"It's probably a good idea to do that, sweetie," Michelle said, then she looked at the three girls. "C'mon, let's hang out with Zoë, she's upset too."

"What's wrong?" Chasey asked as she followed Autumn into Zoë's room with Michelle bringing up the rear, shutting the door.

The older woman waited for the girls to get situated on their sister's bed, Gracie moving away from Autumn to sit on Zoë's lap.

"Why're you sad, Zoë?" the little girl asked.

"Well, last night, my good mommy passed away," she replied.

"Oh. She's an angel now?"

"Um, yeah, she is."

Autumn was going to say something, but a knock on the door interrupted her.

"Who is it?" Zoë called.

The door cracked open and Graham peeked in.

"Uncle Mark wants me to take the kids for the day," he said. "Girlies, we're going out for breakfast then we're going to my house. Michelle, do you want to come with us?"

She shook her head.

"No, I'm going to stay here," she said. "Help Mark with the clean up and..."

"He's coming," they heard Gunner, who was out of sight in the hallway, saying.

And then they heard it, Damian stomping up the stairs talking to himself.

"Excuse me," Graham said, disappearing from sight.

"I'll be right back girls," Michelle said, standing up and leaving the room as well.

Out in the hallway, Gunner and Thunder stood watching Damian stomp down the opposite hallway, talking to himself and knocking a vase sitting on a side board over as he passed by it, blood staining the carpet, headed for his room, disappearing inside and slamming the door shut, within moments loud music was heard thumping from behind the black door.

"I'm gonna go and talk to him," Graham said, heading down the hallway as Michelle came out of Zoë's room.

"Where'd the blood come from?" she asked, spotting the blood trail.

"Damian tried to break the sliding glass door with a cupboard door," Gunner said. "When that didn't work..."

"He kicked it out," Thunder finished. "The last time I saw someone that pissed off, it was one of my mom's boyfriends. She said something and it made him mad, so he punched the wall then threw the TV through the window."

"That's like a tantrum for Lizard," Gunner said. "This is just full blown rage."

"Have you guys ever sent him to therapy for these anger issues?" the other boy asked.

"They sent him back," Michelle said, then she went back into Zoë's room, leaving the boys alone.

**Translations**: "Dia duit"= Hello, "Féileacán"= Butterfly

**A/N3**: We're going to have a time jump in the next chapter. I don't like writing funerals, so there will be a mention of it and Damian's big match is next, so go and vote for who you think he will face before the poll closes!


	36. Chapter 36

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty Six**

_****One Week Later****_

Thomas Allen sighed as he sat behind the front counter, listening to the buzz of the tattoo gun and the light laughter of Marnie Johnson and her client, wishing he was the one doing the work instead of being stuck on permanent counter duty.

"I'm back!"

The young man's head snapped up and he almost fell off of his stool when he saw his boss standing in front of him.

"Tommy, how's business been?" Damian asked when the young man finally found his heart beat again.

"Great, Marnie took all of your appointment plus hers and Quinn called. He put in his two weeks notice."

"Why?"

"I dunno, but he left you a message," the younger man replied, turning around and pulling a piece of paper off of the wall, then handing it to the older man. "He said you can call him back when you get the chance."

"I'll go and do that now. The dork could've told me last night," Damian said, shaking his head. "Is Albert here today?"

"No, he's out sick and that guy who was threatening to sue you, his lawyer called." Tommy replied.

"And what'd you do?"

"Let Marnie deal with it, she's got the info in the office for you."

Damian only nodded and headed for the back of the shop, passing through the black beads.

"Hey, Lizard," Marnie said, looking up and smiling when she saw him. "How was the trip?"

"Good, good. I'm an official WWE employee now," he replied.

"Tell me about that later, King's lawyer called."

"I know, Tommy told me. We'll talk when you finish up here," Damian said. "I'll be up in the office."

The young woman nodded and went back to her work while he headed for the back hallway and his office.

_****Across Town****_

"Okay, Autumn, you get the guest room and Thunder, you get the couch," Zoë said, looking between the two. "When you're settled, I'll take you to see Damian."

"Why couldn't we have stayed at the hotel with Mark and Michelle?" the boy asked.

"Dude, they've been shacked up for a week with you two, me, and Damian the Horrible," the young woman said. "I think they want some alone time."

Both kids made faces of disgust. "Now you see why you're with me. Alright, you guys hungry?"

"You have food here?" Thunder asked. "Damian didn't eat it all?"

"He's not allowed to touch my kitchen, so I always have food. You guys like lasagna?"

"Yeah," Autumn said, nodding. "It's our favorite food."

"Alright. I need to go and get the stuff, so both of you can come with me or one can stay here."

"I'll go," the girl said.

"Okay, Thunder, watch the place and if the phone rings, let the machine get it."

"Why?"

"Just let the machine get it and I'll deal with it when we get back," Zoë replied. "So, feel free to check the place out, stay away from my room or I'll kill you and make yourself at home."

"Um, alright," he said, watching his sister and the older woman pick up their purses and leave the apartment before he dropped onto the couch and picked up the TV remote, turning it on and settling back.

"I think we should make dinner and take it to Damian," Autumn said as she followed Zoë down the stairs.

"Why?" the older woman asked.

"Because we just should. He's had a rough week."

"And I haven't? You where there at the will reading."

"I was trying to forget that," the girl said, thinking back to a few days prior when they'd gone to L.A for the funeral of Damian's mother.

_Stephen, Zoë's boyfriend, had shown up just before they'd left the hotel to head over to cemetery and after the funeral, just about everyone had gone over to Joe and Lydia's house._

_While other family members and friends had mingled and shared their memories of the woman, Mark, Michelle, Damian, and Zoë, along with Stephen, Autumn and Thunder, had gathered in the guest house with Joe and his attorney for the reading of the Lydia's will._

_She had left everything, except for a sum of $1,500 which was left to Damian, to her husband, which left Mark and Zoë questioning why the young woman hadn't gotten anything._

_"Why wasn't I in the will?" Zoë had asked, looking between Joe and the attorney._

_"Mrs. Thomson stated that," the little man looked at the paper again. "Miss Zoë Atherton was not, nor ever was, in anyway, shape or form, a part of her family and will receive none of her estate, to be left to her husband Joseph Thomson, or the money to be left to her son Damian Marcus Calaway."_

_"If she didn't want anything to do with me, why did she call me her daughter for twenty years?"_

_"To keep Mr. Calaway happy," the attorney said. "It explains everything in this letter."_

_He had then given Zoë an envelope with her name written on it._

_"Are we done?" she asked._

_"I think we are," Mark said, glaring at Joe and the attorney. "Let's get outta here."_

The family then left the house, returning to the hotel and the next day, left L.A., heading to St. Louis for a few days to rest up before a live WWE show that was scheduled to be at the ScottTrade Center, Stephen though had gone off to Tampa, Florida to put in appearance at the WWE's developmental company.

Zoë had yet to read the letter Lydia had written her, it was laying on her dresser.

"Let's forget about that crap and focus on now," Zoë said as they crossed the lobby of her building. "We'll make the lasagna, then surprise Damian with it. He might even show you his snakes."


	37. Chapter 37

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

_**A/N 2: I'm gonna be referring to Shawn Michaels by his real name (Michael Hickenbottom), so when someone say's "Michael" or "Mike" they're not talking about The Miz.**_

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

"You rearranged my office, Marnie."

The red-headed woman only smiled as she walked into the room and over to the desk, sitting down behind it. "And you're in my seat."

"Sorry, boss," she said, but she didn't move. "Anyways, Mr. King's lawyer called while you where gone."

"Tommy told me that," Damian said, noting that a new sofa had been brought in, as he sat down in the chair in front of the desk. "What'd he want?"

"They're dropping the law suit."

"Why?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

Marnie didn't say anything, she just opened the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a piece of paper, sliding it across the desk to him. "What's this?"

"A letter of apology," she replied, "read it."

Sighing, Damian pulled his glasses from his shirt pocket and slipped them on before he started to read.

_Mr. Calaway,_

_My client, Mr. Lawrence King, has decided to drop the charges originally filed against you for irreparable damages done to his person. He also formally apologizes for any words, or gestures, that you may have found threatening. My client will also be returning the money refunded to him by you._

_We are sorry for any troubles the past events may have caused you._

_Sincerely_

_Harold J. Longstrom, Esq._

"Dad."

"What about your old man?" Marnie asked, watching her friend and employer stand up.

"Dad had something to do with this. I told him about Tommy fucking up this guys work when he first showed up in town," Damian replied. "The entire time I was with him, he was on the phone with someone, but he wouldn't tell any of us who it was."

"He wouldn't even tell She Who Shall Not Be Named?"

"He wouldn't even tell her."

"Wow, sneaky sneaky Daddy Calaway," Marnie said, smiling growing. "So, what're you going to do?"

"You're going to send a reply to this dude then put my office back to rights," the young tattooist said, smirking. "While I take over doing some work. I'm feelin' kinda rusty and need to get back in the flow."

"You didn't visit Wizard?"

"I did, and I did two pieces then the rest of the time was spent with my family and in LA."

"Visiting your mom?" the red head asked.

"Burying her," Damian replied, then he turned and left the office, leaving a wide eyed Marnie behind.

****6 pm****

"How come we didn't take the elevator?" Thunder asked as he followed Zoë and Autumn down a long hallway, carrying a covered dish while his sister carried another bowl.

"It doesn't work," the older woman replied, coming to a stop at a door at the very and to the right of the hallway and knocking on it while the two teenagers stood behind her.

The door opened to reveal Damian, shirtless and wearing a pair of shorts, with a beer in hand.

"What're you doin' here?" he asked, looking the three over.

"We brought dinner," his sister replied, smiling.

Shrugging, the young man turned around and moved away from the door as the young woman entered, Thunder and Autumn following him, both staring at their foster brothers back.

"Is he a, um, Satanist or something?" the boy asked, staring at the pentagram Damian sported.

"No, see how the point of the star is up?" Zoë asked.

Thunder nodded. "It's a symbol of protection. If the point was down, then he'd be a follower of the dark arts."

"I got it to piss Michelle off," Damian said, looking back and smiling. "but she didn't care. So whenever I'd go to a live show, I'd make sure Michael was around when I'd show it off to the ladies. He went on this tirade about me goin' to hell the first time he saw it. It was great."

"Did it hurt?" Autumn asked.

"Yes. They all hurt," he said, looking his tattoos over. "You can't go through life without a little pain."

"Put down the beer and put some clothes on," Zoë said as she walked into the kitchen, Autumn and Thunder following her. "Then you can show the kids your special room while I get things put together."

The young man stood staring at his sisters retreating form for a moment before shaking his head. "We'll take the food and leave you to starve, man."

Not wanting to pass up on a free meal, Damian headed for his room to do as he was told.

"What's his "special" room?" Thunder asked, putting the lasagna dish down on the counter.

"You'll see it when he shows you," his foster sister replied, looking at the boy and smiling.

"He's not one of those closet gay sex freaks is he?"

"Ew! No! Why would you think something like that?"

The boy just shrugged, then winced when his sister hit him with a wooden spoon.

"God, Thunder, you're sick," Autumn said, glaring at him. "What is wrong with you?"

Again, he shrugged as Damian, wearing an Age Of Orton shirt, walked into the room.

"Thunder, Autumn, I wanna show you somethin'," he said, gesturing for them to follow him.

"What?" the boy asked.

"My secret sex room."

Thunder's eyes grew wide.

"You heard that?" he asked.

"I was in the other room when you said it," Damian replied, smiling. "Now c'mon, let's leave Zoë alone to work her magic."

Then he left the kitchen, Autumn hurrying to follow him while her brother was a little more subdued in his efforts to join them.

**A/N**: We are getting closer to Damian's big day, so go and vote for who you think he'll face! The poll closes soon!


	38. Chapter 38

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

"I like your place," Autumn said, smiling sweetly at Damian as she followed him down the short hallway.

"Thanks," he said, coming to a stop outside of a white painted door across from a black door.

"Lemme guess, that's your bedroom?" Thunder asked, looking at the door.

"No, that's the bathroom," the older man said, then he gestured to another white door. "That's my room."

"Oh, great, I was gonna ask you where that was," the boy said, pushing the black door open and walking into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Strange boy," Damian said, shaking his head as he opened the door and stepped into the room, flipping on the light, with Autumn behind him.

The girl squeaked when she looked around and saw the three large tanks.

"Oh my god," she said, looking up at Damian then moving over to Thor's tank and watching the almost white snake moving along his tree branch. "They're awesome!"

"I know," he said, smirking, then he turned to Baby Randy's tank and took the top off, reaching in and gently picking up the brown snake, looking up when he saw Autumn over to Godzilla's tank, eyes wide as she watched the big snake watch her.

"Is this Godzilla?" she asked, not looking back at him.

"Yeah, he's my baby," the older man replied, moving up behind the girl and smiling when she jumped as he draped the snake he'd been holding around her neck. "Don't panic and you'll be fine, just hold onto his head."

Doing as she was told, Autumn smiled when the snakes tongue flicked against her nose. "This is Baby Randy."

"Baby Randy?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, I'm friends with Randy Orton's sister Elizabeth."

The girls eyes went wide.

"You know Randy fucking Orton?" she asked.

"Yeah, so does Dad. Didn't he tell you that?" Damian asked.

"No, he just said he worked for the WWE," Thunder said, walking into the room and freezing when he saw his sister holding the snake and the two bigger snakes in their tanks. "Those are big snakes."

"Thunder, meet Godzilla, Thor and Baby Randy."

"Why'd you name him after Randy Orton?" Autumn asked, letting Damian take the snake back.

"They're the same color and people get nervous around them," he replied. "Thunder, you want to hold him?"

"No, I'm good," the boy said, taking a step back. "I can see them just fine from here."

"GUYS! COME AND EAT!" Zoë yelled.

"You heard her, get in there and get your food," Damian said. "Before I do."

The Lewis' kids looked at one another before they made a dash for the kitchen.

**A/N 2**: The poll is closed (should be anyways) and the identity of Damian's opponent for his debut match is nigh upon us!


	39. Chapter 39

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

**_**10 pm**_**

Zoë had left Autumn at Damian's place after the girl had fallen asleep on the couch, returning home with Thunder, who'd disappeared into the guest room, leaving her alone to her own devices.

Which was why she was sitting on her bed, staring at the envelope in her hands.

_I should read it, _she thought, _See why Lydia put up with me other then to keep Mark happy._

Sighing, she opened the envelope and pulled out a single piece of paper.

Unfolding it, she was shocked to see it was only a paragraph or two long.

_Miss Atherton,_

_The only reason I put up with you for the last eighteen years was because you made Mark and Damian happy. Why they enjoyed having you around is a mystery to me. When you where a baby, you where a joy to have but then you started to get older and the boys enjoyed spending time with you more then with me. It was like after you where old enough to do stuff with them, I was only there to cook and clean for the three of you..._

The young woman sniffled as she read the letter, ignoring the tear drops that fell on to the paper, making some of the ink run, not seeing Thunder standing in her door way watching her.

_I was overjoyed when your mother took you back after ten years of having to put up with your attitude, but then two years later, you where back, only this time you where trying to steal Mark from Jodi and Gunner, but for some reason that woman took you in as her own child!_

_How anyone can put up with you is beyond me. You're nothing but a rude, foul mouthed little bitch who needs to have the shit knocked out of you._

_It's a shame your mother didn't do a very good job of putting you in your place._

_Mrs. Thomson_

After reading that final line, Zoë lost it and broke down entirely, dropping the letter to the floor and burying her face in her hands.

Not saying anything, Thunder moved into the room and sat down next to the older woman, putting his arms around her as she cried, pulling her against his chest, rocking her back and forth.

"Thunder, what're you doing in here?" she asked when she'd calmed down a little, sniffling and looking at the boy.

"I was going to the kitchen when I heard you in here," he replied, looking at her. "Then you started crying and it reminded me of the last time me and Autumn were home. It was the last time we where there."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Zoë said, sniffling again and wiping at her eyes with her right hand.

"It's okay, we're in a better place now," he said, then he did something unexpected.

While Zoë was wiping her eyes, the boy leaned down and kissed her.

Her eyes snapped open and she reached up with her right hand, smacking Thunder on the side of his head.

"What the hell, kid?" she exclaimed, shoving him off of the bed.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyes wide. "I...I...I don't know why I did that!"

"Go to bed, it's late and we've got a busy day tomorrow," she said, glaring at him.

"Um, alright," he said, standing up and backing towards the doors. "Good night, Zoë."

"Good night, Thunder," she said, following him across the room to the door, shutting and locking it when the boy was gone.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Forty**

**_**The Next Day**_**

"Welcome to Lizard's other job," Zoë said as she pulled her car up in front of a plain brick building.

"Why're we here?" Thunder asked.

"Because we're picking Damian up to take him to the arena," the older woman replied. "If we're lucky, some of the guys might already be there."

"Like Randy Orton?" Autumn asked as she got out of the car.

"Well, we're in St. Louis and he does live here, so there's a good chance he'll be there," Zoë said, leading the teenagers into the shop.

The young man behind the counter looked up, smiling.

"Hey, Zoë," he said.

"Hi, Tommy. Is Damian still here?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's finishing up with a client," Tommy replied. "But he said you guys can go up to the office to wait for him."

"Thanks, c'mon you two."

Leading the kids through the black bead curtain, the trio passed by Damian, who was hunched over an older man's left arm, bespectacled eyes glued to the lion he was etching into the man's flesh.

For a moment, the two just stood there staring until he said,

"Go away."

"C'mon, guys, Lizard's working and doesn't like distractions," Zoë said, moving behind the two and pushing them towards another bead curtain and into a hallway.

"How long has he been doing this?" Thunder asked, following the older woman down the hall and up a flight of stairs.

"Since he was fifteen," she replied, opening the black door (which Thunder and Autumn both noticed was an occurring theme in Damian's life) to reveal a simple office.

"Has he ever done work for anyone famous?" Autumn asked, looking around the room.

"Ya know what? I really don't know. I know he's done touch up work for some of the guys Dad works with, and for Dad himself, but as for someone famous coming in here? I have no clue."

"He likes black doors, doesn't he?" Thunder asked, gesturing to the office door.

"It's something he's been doing since he was thirteen," Zoë replied. "We don't know what's up with it, and we've never asked. It's his thing and we respect that, so leave it alone."

"Alright," the boy said, looking around the office while his sister went and sat down on the sofa with the older woman. "How much longer do you think he's going to be?"

"Could be ten minutes, could be an hour. Mark said he'll call us if it looks like we're going to be late."

"So we've got to sit here for an hour and wait for Damian to get done?"

"You could've stayed behind, Thunder," his sister said. "But how'd you get home, I don't know."

"Shut up," he snapped, glaring at her.

"You shut up, loser," the girl retorted, glaring at him. "Mark and Michelle didn't have to let us come with them, they could've left us behind."

The young man didn't say anything, he just turned his back on the two females sitting on the couch and glared at the wall.

Fifteen minutes later, Damian came into the office.

"Let's roll," he said, grabbing a black duffel bag with the name "Lizard" embroidered on the side of it and leaving again, thundering down the stairs.

"C'mon, let's go before he tries to run to the arena," Zoë said, getting up and herding the two teenagers from the office.

"Would he really do that?" Thunder asked.

"Yes."

Twenty five minutes later, the group was walking into the ScottTrade Center, the two teenagers in awe at the sights before them.

Thunder was blatantly checking out the Diva's while Autumn stuck close to Damian's side, her shyness kicking in.

"Féileacán!"

"Stephen!"

The young woman shoved her brother aside and ran to her boyfriend, jumping into his arms.

"Something wrong, Lizard?" Thunder asked, looking at his foster brother and smirking.

"Don't make me hit you, boy," the older man said as he walked past his sister and the Irishman. "We're gonna look for Dad and Michelle."

The young woman, distracted by her boyfriend, only nodded.

As they walked, Damian said hello or nodded a greeting to some of the other Superstars or Divas there, along with back stage staffers.

"You guys are probably gonna have to stay in the dressin' room," he said, looking back and noticing only Thunder was following him. "Where's Autumn?"

"She was just here," the boy said, looking around. "Autumn?"

"Great, we lost her," the older man said, turning around and going back the way they came. "Autumn Sky, where in the hell are you?"

Luckily for them, it wasn't hard to find her.

The girl was staring wide eyed up at Randy Orton.

"Weirdo, this yours?" he asked, gently pushing the girl towards Damian, smirking.

"Yeah, thanks, Randy," he said, reaching out and taking Autumn's hand, pulling her towards him "She didn't bother you, did she?"

"No, it was kind of like having Elizabeth here," the older man said. "The way she used to moon over Hardy when she was that age."

"Speaking of Elizabeth and Matt, you hear anything from them?"

"Yeah, they're at Mom and Dad's," Randy said. "She's not ready to come back yet and having Matt there with her seems to be helping her get over..." he looked at the kids. "That accident."

"It wasn't an accident, man, but if we're still in town tonight, we should all get together."

"I'll call her up, see if she's up for some fun."

"Cool. Catch you later, Randy."

"Right," The Viper said, then he nodded to Thunder, winked at Autumn and was gone.

"You alright, girly?" Damian asked, looking at the girl, who was blushing.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "He's so nice. He's nothing like he is on TV."

"He's a good guy," her foster brother said, then he turned around and started walking again, the two kids flanking him. "But we don't have time to stand around and gossip, we've gotta find the dressing room."

"You don't know where it is, do you?" Thunder asked.

Damian didn't reply, he just kept walking.

**A/N**: Guess what's next?


	41. Chapter 41

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

_**A/N 2: The big moment is finally here! It's time for Damian's debut. Now, this is going to be in three parts and the identity of his opponent will be revealed!**_

**Chapter Forty One**

"What took you guys so long?" Michelle asked when Damian, Thunder and Autumn walked into the dressing room.

"Catching up on the latest gossip," her step son replied. "And I had to peel Thunder here off the ceiling after Maryse, in a moment of civility, kissed him on the cheek."

"That's a lie," the boy said.

"No it's not," his sister said, smirking. "I told her she was your favorite Diva, she thought it was cute how he was trying to hide behind Damian, so she gave him a little peck and he came unglued."

"Aww, he's blushing," the older woman said, smiling.

Thunder tried to glare at her, but it did no good, she just reached up and ruffled his hair. "That is so cute!"

"No, it's not," he mumbled, taking a step back.

Mark, who'd been sitting on the bench at the back of the room, stood up.

"Vince wants to talk to us, Damian," he said.

"When?"

"Now."

Dropping his bag, the young man left the room again, his father following him.

"What's he wanna talk about?" he asked as he followed Mark.

"He didn't say," the elder Calaway replied. "He sent Paul, Michelle asked why Vince needed to see us and the son of a bitch just smiled and left."

"You've never had an problems with Paul before Dad, what's goin' on that all of a sudden you two can't stand to be around one another?"

Mark didn't reply, he just kept walking, leaving his son wondering what the problem between the two future Hall of Famers could be.

"You have got to be fuckin' jokin'," Damian asked, five minutes later.

His father, standing next to him, shook his head, keeping himself from smacking the younger man upside the head for talking to Vince that way.

"I'm not joking, Damian," the older man said. "Tonight, in your debut, you're going to be going against a mystery opponent."

"Can't you just tell me who it is, sir?" Damian asked.

"I was asked not to say by the person who volunteered to do this."

"Damian, wait in the hall," Mark said, gesturing for his son to leave Vince's office.

"Why?"

"Do it, boy, don't ask about it."

Shrugging, the younger Calaway did as he was told, leaving his father alone with the WWE chairman.

As soon as the door was shut, the big man turned on his boss.

"What in the hell where you thinkin' when you booked this match, McMahon?" he asked.

Unperturbed by his long time employee, and friends, growled demand Vince replied calmly,

"I was thinking this is your sons chance to show the WWE fans who he is and what he can do."

"Bull shit, you're just doin' this because Michelle asked you too because she's trying to get on Damian's good side, has been for years," the elder Calaway stated. "But so far, all she's done is make him twitchier and help Zoë get with the person I forbade her from seeing."

"Mark, I'm not doing this for anyone but Damian," McMahon said. "I know he sucked in his match against Reso, but the next night, he shined in that three way dance with Copeland and Hager. He's got a lot of potential Mark, and I think this match tonight will help him get the push he needs with the fans."

"Fine, but this "mystery" opponent better not be someone who's had heat with me."

"It's not, Mark."

"It better not be," Mark said, getting into his bosses personal space. "because if anything happens to my son out there tonight, and I mean anything, that person's ass won't be the only one I kick to hell and back."

"They won't, Mark, they've sworn they'll stay on script, rough Damian up a bit and give him the win or at least make sure the kid's able to stand when everything is said and done."

Mark didn't say anything, he only nodded as he left the office, finding Damian leaning against the wall opposite the door.

"Let's go," he said, walking past the younger man.

"What'd you say to Vince?" he asked, falling in line next to his father.

"Nothin' that involves you."

"Bullshit, Dad, you told Vince I better not get hurt, didn't you?" Damian asked.

"If anything happens to you out there, I'm goin' to prison for a long time."

"Good to know. Anyways, I got a text from Zoë. She's going to be riding with Stephen from here on out."

"I don't like her bein' with him."

"I don't either, but you're the one who said we can't do anything to keep them apart," Damian said.

"I know," Mark said, glancing at his son.

As the pair rounded the corner, they ran into Dave Bautista.

"Damian," he said, nodding to them. "Mark."

"Dave," the older man said while the younger Calaway stared him down.

"I'm lookin' for Lacey, have you seen her around?"

"No," Damian said, pushing his way past the older man and continuing on his way.

"McMahon told us that Damian's opponent for his debut tonight is a unknown, you wouldn't happen to know who it is, would you?"

"I don't know, but I've been hearin' the same thing," Dave replied. "Why're you so worried about it?"

"Dave, I'm a father, you are too, and Damian's my first born, so he's special to me. Don't get me wrong, I love all my kids, but he's just a little more special," the older man said. "So I'm worried about his well being, as I should be."

"If you think I'm the "mystery man" in the match and I'm gonna hurt the kid, don't be, man. I'm not stupid, you know."

"I know you're a smart man, Dave, but if you do know who volunteered to be Dami's opponent, let them know that if they hurt my boy out there, I'm gonna hurt them," the older man said, then he did something he only did with his sons or close friends.

He patted Dave on the back as he walked past him.

That simple gesture was enough to let the Animal know the Deadman was serious in his threat.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

_**A/N 2: The big moment is finally here! It's time for Damian's debut. Now, this is going to be in three parts and the identity of his opponent will be revealed!**_

**Chapter Forty Two**

"Good luck," Autumn said, hugging Damian.

He hugged her in return, before letting her go, watching the teenagers leave with Howie, a PR that had been assigned to look after the kids.

"Damian!"

"Oh god, not her," the young man said, looking at his father and step-mother as Layla El burst into the room.

"Sweetie, c'mon, you're up next," the little woman said, grabbing Damian's hand and attempting to drag him from the room.

Layla had only known Damian for not quite two weeks and had taken to mothering the young man, especially after hearing what his mother had done to him and Zoë in the way of not wanting them to know she'd passed away, and he could not stand her.

"Dad! Dad, help me!" he shouted as he was drug along by his step-mothers partner in crime.

"Sorry, son, you're on your own!" Mark called back. "Good luck!"

"Fuck you!"

A few minutes, and lots of stares later, the two where standing at the Gorilla position, waiting.

They could hear the low rumble of the crowd, they knew something big was going to happen, but what they didn't know for sure.

"Don't be nervous, Damian," Layla said as she stood on tip-toe to reach up and fix his hair. "You're gonna do great out there."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he said.

"No you're not."

"I can't do this," he said, trying to turn around to leave but the little woman grabbed the front of his shirt and held him in place.

"Oh no you don't, If you turn tail an' run, you'll embarrass not only yerself, but your father and Michelle," she said, looking him in the eyes. "You can't do that, Damian."

_"This next contest is schedule for one fall!"_ they heard Lillian call, and the crowd cheering for the impending bout.

"Get ready," she said, moving away from him.

_"Introducing first, from Houston, Texas..."_

Damian's music kicked up and the young man stepped through the curtain. _"...weighing in at two hundred and seventy-five pounds...Damian!"_

The crowd was cheering for him, and no one was cheering harder then Thunder and Autumn, who where sitting front row, both of them wide eyed at having the chance to witness the most important night in his life, which sort of made his nerves settle a little, but the closer to the ring he got, the stronger the butterflies in his belly seemed to flutter.

_You can do this, Damian_, he thought, stepping into the ring and turning to face the stage, taking the time as he waited for his opponent to remove his shirt, the normal thrill he got from the shrieks of the women (and he was sure some men) in the crowd gone, replaced by the thundering of his heart in his ears.

"And the challenger...from Greenwich, Connecticut..."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," he said when the music most of the other men in the back, save a select few, dreaded to hear began to play.

"...he weighs in at two hundred and fifty-five pounds...!"

"Please tell me this is some sick joke," Damian begged, looking at Mike Chioda.

"I don't know what's going on, kid," the senior official said. "I was just told to look out for you."

"...Triple...H...!"

The older man came out onto the stage, looking right at Damian, as if he could smell the younger mans fear.

_I am going to die_, the young man thought as he watched his opponent come down the ramp. _And Dad's going to prison for murder tonight. I'm sure of it._

In the back, Zoë, Quinn and Johnny stood in Mark and Michelle's dressing room, watching the match with the older couple.

"You think he's going to win or get his ass handed to him?" Johnny asked, looking at Quinn.

"I don't know. Back in St. Louis he did really well," the blonde replied. "But he's going up against Hunter, and after Mark, he's the best there is."

"He's going to get creamed," Zoë said.

"Shut up," Mark snapped, not looking back at the younger adults, watching as his son was taken down by a clothes line from Hunter, who circled the younger man like a wolf circling its prey.

Damian struggled to get up, but a boot to his ribs knocked him back down.

"If that son of a bitch hurts my boy, I'm gonna hurt him," he growled.

No one else had anything to add to the comment, they where too afraid to say anything.

Out in the ring, Damian was already thinking of giving up three minutes into the match, but Layla's words echoed through his mind.

_"Oh no you don't, If you turn tail an' run, you'll embarrass not only yerself, but your father and Michelle as well."_

And he couldn't do that.

_I'm Damian, the son of the Deadman_, he thought, grabbing the middle rope and pulling himself to his knees. _If I quit, I'm lettin' Dad down, and Michelle. They got me this chance and I can't fuck it up. For me, or for them._

"Why don't you just give up, kid?" Hunter asked, grabbing Damian by the hair and pulling the younger man's head back, causing the muscles in his neck to stretch in ways they weren't meant too.

"You first," Damian replied, elbowing the older man in the gut.

The move made Hunter let him go, taking a few steps back but it was enough to let the younger man regain his footing and stand up to his full height.

"I ain't leavin' on a stretcher," he said, turning to face his opponent. "I'm walkin' outta here!"

He charged the older man, taking The Game down with a clothes line. "Ya think my old man's scary? You ain't seen nothin' yet, Hunter."

He grabbed Hunter by the back of his neck and jerked him to his feet. "And if ya wanna play dirty, I'll play dirty."

He kneed the older man in the stomach, then caught him under the chin with his forearm, knocking him back and down to the canvas.

Chioda put himself between the two men, pushing the younger of the two back.

"Back off, Damian," he said, looking back at Hunter before looking at Damian again, taking a step to the side when the younger man tried to go around him.

"Sorry, Mr. Chioda," Damian said, pushing the official aside and advancing on the still down Hunter, leaning down to grab him again.

A mistake on his part.

As he leaned down over the older man, Hunter reached up and punched Damian in the jaw, the younger man feeling teeth come loose and fall out.

Stumbling back, he covered his mouth with one hand before spitting out a mouth full of blood and a few teeth.

"You asshole," he growled, staring at Hunter who was now on his knees before kicking him in the ribs and feeling something give.

The older man yelped in pain, instinctively doubling over the protect his injured ribs.

Now it was Damian's turn to circle like a hungry wolf.

**A/N 3**: For reference, Johnny has not met Damian yet. All of this takes place before the young Mr. Brooks' little "vacation" that he and Quinn refer to in Family Feud.


	43. Chapter 43

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Forty Three**

"They're going off script," Marshall, the head writer, said, looking at Vince.

The men where in the production truck, watching the match.

"I know," the WWE Chairman replied, watching as the Son of The Deadman dragged The Game to his feet and punched him in the jaw, staggering the big man into the ropes.

"Do you want us to stop it, sir?" one of the production assistants asked.

"No, let'em go," McMahon said. "Let's see what this kid can do. But I want that canvas changed as soon as this is over."

"Yes sir."

* * *

"Oh, he's still spitting blood," Michelle said, sitting on the edge of her seat, then she looked at her husband. "I told you that you should've told Vince _No_, Mark, but did you listen to me? No, you put your son in harms way!"

He ignored her and kept his attention on what his son was doing in the ring.

"He's freakin' nuts," Quinn said as they all watched Damian take a running jump over the top rope and land on top of Hunter, taking the older man down.

Mark didn't say anything, he was silently worrying about his sons well being and the ass chewing he was going to be getting from Jodi, Sara, Michelle, and Layla at the end of the night.

"I think he's hurt," Michelle said, noticing that when Damian tried to stand up he couldn't put his full weight on his left leg, but it didn't stop him from kicking his adversary in the head.

"You want us to stop it?" Quinn asked.

"No," Mark replied, waiting to see what his son was going to do next. "But I want someone to get Thunder and Autumn out of there, they don't need to be watchin' this."

"I'm on it," Zoë said, quickly leaving the room, agreeing with her fathers decision to pull the two teenagers from the crowd after seeing the look of fright on Autumn's face after Damian had spit out a mouth full of blood and the blood thirsty look on Thunder's face when his foster brother had kicked Hunter in the ribs for a second time.

"Tough guy, aren't ya?" Hunter asked, hauling Damian to his feet by his hair and to the ring steps. "All ya can do is kick like a girl."

"Jack ass," the younger man hissed, trying to fight back against the older man, but his hurt knee wasn't letting him focus on much but the blinding pain that shot up his leg every time he moved.

"Big words for a little man."

"Fuck you."

Hunter didn't say anything, he just picked the younger man up and slammed him back first into the ring apron, knocking the air from his lungs, Damian falling limply over the big man's shoulder.

"Your old man's not gonna fuck with me anymore," he said quietly to the semi-conscious young man he held, turning towards the ring post.

"We'll...see about...that," Damian panted out, trying to ignore his burning lungs and ribs.

With an angry bellow, The Game ran full steam into post, slamming Damian into it and the young man himself cried out when he felt his right shoulder slam into the post, hearing and feeling a sickening pop.

His eyes snapped open as a raw, burning pain shot down his entire right side as Hunter drew back to slam him into the post again.

The last thing the young man remembered was Mike Chioda yelling at Hunter, Zoë dragging Thunder and Autumn from the crowd and the bell sounding.

Then, everything went black.


	44. Chapter 44

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Forty Four**

Damian laid motionless on the mat while several other referees kept Hunter in the ring and Mike Chioda frantically signaled for the trainers and EMS crews to get down there before he turned his attention to the young man.

"Damian, Damian, can you hear me?" he asked, patting the side of the young mans face. "Damian?"

The young man groaned, but didn't open his eyes, his head lolling to one side.

"Lemme see him," a trainer, a man named Larry if he remembered correctly, said kneeling down next to Damian.

Backing away, the senior official let the man do his work while he turned his attention to the bosses son in-law, who was standing in the ring, still in character but even he could see that Hunter was worried about the kid.

"Get that stretcher over here!" Larry hollered, gesturing for the EMS crew to bring their gear to where he was.

"What's wrong with him?" Chioda asked.

"Dislocated, possibly, separated shoulder. We'll know more when we get him back stage."

The other man only nodded, looking towards the stage, everyone waiting to see if The Undertaker was going to make an appearance.

When it had been made known a mystery person had taken up the challenge of being Damian's opponent, Dave Batista, after having talked to the elder Calaway, had spread the word that whomever faced Damian had better start watching their back or face the wrath of The Deadman should his son be injured beyond a black eye or split lip.

And after the beating Hunter had given Damian, it looked like the thirteen time champion had a nice, big target on his back.

"Careful," the trainer said as they started to lift Damian up to get the back board under him but as soon as he was moved, the young man's eyes snapped open and he started pushing people away.

"Don't touch me," he snapped, struggling to get up on his own. "I said I was walkin' outta here! Get away from me!"

The trainers backed away from Damian as he struggled to get to his feet on his own, gripping the ring curtain, then the bottom rope as he stood, glaring at Hunter the whole time.

"You're in for the world's worst ass whoopin'," he growled.

"Bring it on, kid," Hunter said, smirking. "You can't hide behind your old man forever."

"Let's get you back stage, kid," Larry the trainer said, trying to help Damian, but he was pushed away as the young man moved away from the ring, limping his way towards the ramp, holding his right arm as he went, but the trainer followed him anyways.

And the crowd where on their feet, chanting Damian's name over and over again, the place rumbling with their approval.

He'd survived a match with The King of Kings, and even with severe injuries, he'd walked away and they liked it.

"I think they like you, kid," Larry said.

"I think they do too."

Layla was beside herself when Damian came through the curtain, the trainer following him.

"Oh my god, Damian!" she exclaimed when the younger man collapsed, Larry grabbing him to keep him upright.

"You can bring that stretcher now, Larry," he said, then he passed out for a second time.

****A Few Hours Later****

"Damian? Damian, can you hear me?"

The young man groaned, blinking his eyes open only to squeeze them shut again when someone shown a bright light into them.

"What happened? Where am I?" he asked, squinting up at the person standing over him.

"You're at Saint Louis University Hospital," the man standing over him replied. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Yeah, I got my ass beat by the man who used to sneak me cookies when I was little," Damian replied, then when he tried to sit up, he noticed his right arm was heavy bandaged up, as was his left knee. "What..."

"What's the damage, doc?"

Looking past the doctor, the young man saw his father sitting by the door.

"Well," the man said, looking at Damian again. "We reset your dislocated shoulder, but there was some minor tearing to the rotator cuff, so I'm recommending you get a second opinion on whether you'll need surgery or not and the same goes for your left knee. We reset it, but there was some tearing to the ACL and MCL ligaments."

The young man just laid there staring at the doctor before he looked to his father again.

"Can I have a moment alone with my son?" Mark asked.

"Of course, take as long as you need," the doctor said, looking between the two, then he left the room.

When the doctor was gone, the elder Calaway stood up and moved over to his sons bedside.

"I'm done, ain't I?" the young man asked. "My career just started and it's over. Isn't it?"

"No, it' not, Damian," he said, sitting down in the chair by the bed. "This is just a little set back."

"Little set back my ass, Dad! You heard what the doctor said!"

"I did, and it's a set back, son. When you're cleared to get out of here, we'll make an appointment with Dr. Andrews in Birmingham and see what he has to say."

"What if I have to have surgery? I can't take care of myself."

"Then you'll come and stay with us while you recover and rehab."

"And my snakes?"

"We'll move'em in with us too. I would hate for you to die of a loneliness."

"Gee, thanks, Dad. Nothing says "I love you son and will help you get through this" like that does," Damian said.

"I try," Mark replied, shrugging, then he stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To let everyone know you're alive, and talk to Paul. We'll be by tomorrow to see how you're doing and when you can leave."

"Um, alright," Damian said, not liking the idea of spending the night alone in the hospital. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"You're gonna be fine, son," his father said, reaching down and patting him on his uninjured shoulder. "Believe me."

The young man didn't say anything, he just nodded and watched as his father left.


	45. Chapter 45

_**Disclaimer: I do not know, or own, any of the WWE Superstars the Calaway family, the Orton family, the Copelands, or the Resos. Nor do I know, or own, any of the musical artists who perform any of the Superstars entrance themes or any of the places they go for shows. I don't own any of the other bands, businesses or companies mentioned within this story.**_

_**This story is 100% fiction and no money was made from the production of this tale.**_

_**Claimer: I do own Elizabeth, Lacey, Quinn, Damian, Johnny, Zoë and Astrid. I also own Damian's parlors, his cousin, and their employees.**_

_**A/N: Autumn and Thunder belong to bilicalforte (go and read her fic No Turning Back. It's great) and I am merely borrowing them since she's borrowing Damian (I guess you could say it's a OC exchange program). Anyways, the next few chapters are for her. Hope you enjoy them!**_

**Chapter Forty Five**

_**Epilogue**_

_****Eight Months Later...Sacramento, CA****_

"It looks like Kane has the upper hand, King. He could walk away as the number one contender for Edge's World Heavy Weight Championship," Michael Cole stated.

"He might, Cole, but I don't think the Deadman's gonna give up that easily," Jerry "The King" Lawler replied.

The fans packed into Sacramento's ARCO Arena where on their feet, half of the crowd cheering for Kane the other half cheering for The Undertaker, both sides hoping to see some kind of physical injury befall the two greats in the ring.

"You're goin' down, big brother," The Big Red Monster said, smirking evilly at the man in his grasps. "That belts gonna be mine again."

"You don't deserve it," 'Taker growled, kicking his brother in the gut and shoving him back but Kane was on him again, setting him up for a Choke Slam.

But the younger of the brothers didn't get the chance to humiliate the elder.

From out of the crowd, a person wearing a black hooded sweat shirt rushed the ring, catching Kane behind his right knee with a chop block, causing him to let Undertaker go.

"Who is that King?" Cole asked, looking at his broadcast partner before looking at the ring again.

"I don't know, with that hood covering their face, it could be anybody!"

The mysterious attacker bailed out of the ring before Kane could get his hands on him, the distraction allowing 'Taker to grab his brother and take him down with a Choke Slam of his own followed with The Tombstone to end the match.

Once the match was over, the mysterious savior re-entered the ring, standing up to his full height and looking the Phenom in the eyes before flipping his hood back to reveal...

"It's Damian!" Cole exclaimed. "Damian's back!"

"We haven't seen him since the night Triple H destroyed him in his big debut," King said, watching as the two men in the ring stared one another down before the younger of the two smirked and held out his left hand.

The crowd waited with baited breath as Undertaker looked the young man over before clasping the outstretched hand and shaking it, sending them into a frenzy.

"What could this mean, King? Why is Damian helping The Undertaker?"

"I don't know, Cole, but I'm sure we'll find out," the Hall Of Famer replied.

Then everything went black again and flames erupted from the stage, causing the two men in the ring to both look in that direction as another mysterious person entered the ring via the crowd.

"Who in the hell is that?" King asked as they watched the new comer attack both Damian and the Undertaker, but when they recovered from their shock, the two men double teamed the dark haired stranger.

"I don't know! He just came out of the crowd," Cole replied as they watched the young man being beat down.

Kane, momentarily forgotten by the his brother and Damian was up and grabbing the younger man by his hair, jerking him to the mat before turning his attention to his brother, throwing him out of the ring, leaving Damian alone with The Big Red Monster and the new comer.

"Get him up!" the young man snapped, gesturing for Kane to Damian up right.

Once he had Damian up right, Kane let him go and moved away from him just as the new comer hit the other young man with a vicious drop kick.

Smirking as he looked over his handy work, the new comer went to the ropes and gestured for Lillian Garcia to give him the mic, which she did without any hesitation.

The new comer crouched over Damian.

"It's so good to see you again, cousin," he said, smiling down at the other young man.

"Cousin? What's he mean King?" Cole asked, looking at Lawler.

"I don't know, unless this guy means he's...no, it's not possible," the older man said.

"The only way they could be cousin is if...if this man is Kane's...son."

In the ring, the new comer remained crouched over Damian.

"Since it's been so long since we've seen one another, Damian, I'm sure you've forgotten my name," the young man said. "Just so you know, it's Joseph."

Joseph left the ring with Kane following him, the two making their way up the ramp while in the ring Damian laid staring at the rafters and 'Taker stared after the cackling, retreating forms of Kane and Joseph.

Things had just gotten a little more interesting for the Calaways.

**A/N:** Alright, there it is. The end of Family Ties! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and an extra big thank you to Sonib89 and bilicalforte for all of their reviews from start to finish.


	46. Chapter 46

With the recent rash of stories being stolen and reposted on other fan fiction sites, all of the sudden Story Alert updates my fics (particularly Family Ties, Sins Of The Father, Wedding Daze and Lasting Impressions) are being added too, is making me kind of nervous to update the uncompleted ones again and remove the ones that are done.

It might just be people actually like my fics, but I've been told I'm a little paranoid but I have a right to be. I don't know if the people wanting to be alerted when I update a fic are actually waiting to read it or waiting to steal it.

I just hope that if any of my loyal readers (those who review every chapter I post) would let me know if they saw my work other sites and help me take care of the problem. I like sharing my stories, but I don't want someone to steal my hard work and pass it off as their own, that makes them lazy and uncreative, and if that has happened, I won't share anymore.

Quinny'sJellyBean


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